


earth

by jackofallspades



Series: i'm only honest when it rains [1]
Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Ainsley and Kol are kickass, Ainsley is president of the Niklaus Protection Squad, Child Abuse, Elijah is lowkey an asshole, Esther is manipulative, Esther's lies ruined Nik, F/M, Finn is the family surgeon, Finn isn't and won't be the bad guy, Guiseppe and Katherine ruined Damon, Human!Damon is sweet and we stan, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mental Instability, Mikael is evil, Nik is sweet and we love him, OFC - Freeform, Rebekah is a literal child and everyone ignores that, Stefan's a brat, Time Skips, i regret making stefan a brat, i told yall I change the tags often, like my good sis is 16, they should start paying him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2019-10-19 05:22:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 40,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17595341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackofallspades/pseuds/jackofallspades
Summary: Ainsley Mikaelson was cursed, had been since the day she was born, and her life was something out of a greek tragedy. Filled with bloodshed and betrayals, Ainsley just wanted happiness, but happiness was in short supply. Then she died. Then the very witches who made her life hell compensated her for her hardships, they gave her the world and the power of 5,000 witches. Flash forward to present day (2011) Mystic Falls, initially there to annoy her brother, she finds some old friends and new enemies, life is never dull. (S2-S4 TVD)





	1. ⥼i⥽

**Author's Note:**

> So this isn't my first fanfiction at all, but it's my first TO/TVD fic and my first fic on AO3. I'm okay with grammar, but please correct me if I fluff up bc I'm a stupid bitch. Also chapters won't be this short, I'm just lazy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ainsley's been around a long time so we're gonna go backwards initially, then forward to the present. We'll be starting in 1997 NYC before moving onto 1972 in NJ at Princeton University, mid-November.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The flashbacks have OCs that will only appear in these time slots.

**NYC 1997**

{ **BREAKING NEWS: WOMAN MURDERED IN APARTMENT** }

Earlier this morning police were called by a neighbor who heard screaming in the apartment and gained access to the apartment by an extra key given to him by this woman, he reported that she had been decapitated and her body was lying on her bed with her head under a pillow. The caller also said there was a man in the apartment and began describing him, there appeared to be some sort of conversation between the two men and the caller falls silent and isn't heard from until police arrive to the scene. Police find the apartment is covered in blood, yet there's no body and the caller was standing in the middle of the room with his eyes closed. He told police that the man told him to close his eyes until police arrived and he felt like he had no choice and obeyed, he doesn't remember hearing the man move the body, who is said to be Arabella Parks, 20.

The neighbor, Eric Garner, 32, says that Parks was erratic and was constantly seen talking to herself as if she was having a conversation with another person. She rarely left her apartment unless it was to go next door to another neighbor, Maya Teagen, 27, who says Parks was one of the sweetest people she's ever met but without a doubt had some mental disordered that caused delusions, Teagen says Parks showed multiple signs of Schizophrenia, including the paranoia. "She said once she didn't like dying as if she's done it before, I thought that was weird. She talked about her 'children'", there's no record of Parks ever being pregnant, "and cried about how they were taken away from her, she would ramble about how she wanted 'them' to just leave her alone and let her 'at least get a taste of true happiness' we never were told who 'them' was, we would ask and she would change the subject as though she never said anything."

When asked if they knew anyone who would want to hurt Parks, both Garner and Teagen said whoever 'them' was because Parks seemed "genuinely afraid of them and would come into our apartments in the middle of the night and fall asleep on our couches because in Parks own words; 'they won't follow me into here, here is safe'". Parks had never mentioned any relatives with the acceptance of her 'children'. We'll try to keep you updated on the case. 

_Marina Allen_

* * *

 

{ **UPDATE: ARABELLA PARKS IS NOW JANE DOE** }

Police sampled the blood found in Parks' apartment only for it to come up empty, as in there's nobody with this specific DNA strand living in the US, they then sampled DNA from a hairbrush found in the apartment in hopes to get a different result but they got the same thing. Arabella Parks is not Arabella Parks. It's almost like the Alice Turner case from '72, a 19-year-old girl is reported missing by her roommate and her roommate is told there's no person with that name and description, "Alice" is found in a dumpster behind her favorite restaurant with a stab wound to her throat and bruising compatible with being thrown into a hard surface, which indicated that "Alice" was alive when thrown into the dumpster and most likely died because of head trauma. Her roommate insists her name is Alice and has her buried in a cemetery near where she, the roommate, lived. 

The crazy part is that her roommate, Kaitie Bishop, tells police that she woke up at 2:21am and there was a man straddling her, Alice was already gone and the man ordered her to go back to sleep and told her she could wake up at 6:52am, Kaitie went back to bed after watching the man leave and woke up later at 6:52. Kaitie was asked why she didn't scream and she answered with "I knew he had killed Alice, or at least was going to if she wasn't already dead at that point, I didn't want to make him mad and die. I saw his face, he had blue eyes and a deep voice that was also unnaturally smooth, like an eerie lullaby. If I died, I wouldn't be able to tell you that."

Just like how Eric Garner told police that the man he saw standing next to Arabella's body had told him to close his eyes and not open them until police arrived, police confirmed that Eric did have his eyes closed when they arrived and when they announced they were police he opened them, an officer said he looked "disorientated, he was shaking and his pupils were shot to hell, if you didn't know any better you'd think he was on drugs." Eric also said that the man was young looking and had blue eyes. The similarities between the two cases are almost too similar to be a coincidence.

_Richard Eren_

* * *

{ **UPDATE: ARABELLA PARKS IS ALICE TURNER** }

Medical officials were stumped by the mystery of Arabella Parks and called Princeton Hospital and Princeton Police Force for the details surrounding Alice Turner's case and the Princeton Police Force mailed a lock of hair cut from Alice at the time of her discovery, the results were terrifying. The DNA found in Arabella's apartment was an exact match to Alice Turner's lock of hair. Arabella Parks is Alice Turner, or more importantly, Alice Turner is Arabella Parks.

A woman dead for 25 years turns up and out to be a woman dead for two days. NYPD is at a standstill and released a statement saying "due to the recent revelations, we, the NYPD do not, as of yet, have a clear plan of action. We can confirm, though, that Kaitie Bishop and her family were the first to know and were told privately."

The Bishops have declined to comment on recent events, saying **"** all this means is that Alice died all over again, our sweet Alice. **"** Kaitie Bishop, now Kaitie Daniels, had given News 12 NJ a tape of Alice dancing in her kitchen with her brother back in '72. In the tape you can seen Alice and Kaitie's younger brother, Max twirling around in their socks laughing, towards the end Alice slips and you hear Kaitie laughing behind the camera before saying, "and everyone says you should be a model." Alice laughs harder before replying with "I can't even walk in a straight line." the video ends.

Maya Teagen, one of Arabella's neighbors told ABC7 that **"** she didn't like dying and they killed her anyway. They let her make friends only to rip her away from them and in such a brutal way, it's sick. I have no idea who this woman is, all I know is that she doesn't deserve this. **"** We here at the New York Post give out our sincerest condolences to those who considered Alice/Arabella a loved one. 

_Kristen Thomas_

* * *

{ **WHO IS ALICE TURNER?** }

It's been 25 years since a body was pulled out of a dumpster, and once examined, the body shocked the world. Unknown. It was confirmed that the body that was found did not belong to Alice Turner but it was Alice Turner. Kaitie Bishop and her family were very vocal, insisting that there had to be a mistake, they knew Alice, had her in their home for a week, they loved Alice so much that they pestered the hospital about giving them her body until they finally conceded and Alice Turner was buried in New London, CT, a grave was placed next to Kaitie's grandparents, which solidified how much the Bishops loved Alice. 

"She only ever spoke about her father, she said he was abusive and he scared her. My parents fell in love with her at orientation, I'd never seen my parents laugh so hard, Alice just had that natural charisma and unbreakable confidence that my parents just loved. They told her before they left that she was a new member of the family and Tuesday was her night to do the dishes, Alice's whole face lit up and it looked like she was about to cry." 

"Alice loved Disney movies, Dumbo was her favorite and she'd always cry during  _Baby Mine_ , we had tissues on standby. She also loved dancing, she was always dancing even if she hadn't meant to, she would just move in such a graceful fashion that it was impossible not to just watch her. She was so enthralling, we'd drive to the beach every weekend and as she would walk past people, the majority of them would damn near break their necks just to look at her longer. She loved her hair so much, would spend about thirty minutes brush just one section, it also seemed to be a calming act for her. If you knew her you loved her, that's just how it is, she was so lovable."

_Weston Price_

* * *

* * *

* * *

**PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, PRINCETON NJ 1972**

**{BREAKING NEWS: PRINCETON STUDENT HAS GONE MISSING** }

A Princeton student was reported missing by her roommate early this morning, Alice Turner, 19, 5'11, brown hair and brown eyes was last seen by her roommate when they went to bed at 11:30, at 2:21 Kaitie Bishop woke up to a man sitting on her bed, staring at her. Kaitie told police that the man had blue eyes and a deep voice, then she noticed that Alice wasn't in the room anymore, the man said nothing about Alice, all he did was "order me to go back to bed, I didn't feel in control of my actions, I just did what he said. I didn't say anything, but I cried quietly and he just sat there and stared at me, playing with the knots on the blanket Alice bought me. He said I could wake up at 6:52 and that I'd go to the police station at 7:58, I didn't question the times, I just closed my eyes, rolled over, and cried myself back to sleep. I knew that my best friend was dead or about to die wherever she was and it hurt so much. I woke up at 6:52 with Alice's bear in my arms, I don't know if he thought it was funny or if he genuinely felt bad. His voice wasn't aggressive and his words weren't harsh, but he made it clear that what he was saying was what was going to happen." 

Kaitie also requested police to look for Alice like they'd look for a dead body, stating "there's no possibility that she's alive at this point, he seemed the type to just get the messy part over with and move on. I wish I could pretend that there's a possibility of us finding her alive, but before we went to bed she told me she loved me and then she apologized. I think she knew that she was going to die, isn't that just awful? Knowing that someone was gonna come in and take you and kill you?" 

_John Taylor_

* * *

{ **BREAKING NEWS: ALICE TURNER IS FOUND** }

Earlier this morning, the body of 19-year-old Alice Turner was found naked in a dumpster behind what Kaitie Bishop says "was their favorite restaurant to go to". Alice had been stabbed in the throat once and the bruising on her back indicates that Alice was alive when she was thrown in the dumpster. Medical officials state that "Ms.Turner was most definitely alive when she was put in the dumpster and she had died because of the head trauma caused by the back of her head hitting the floor of the dumpster, however if she was placed next to the dumpster alive she would've died within 90 seconds due to the stab wound that likely happened right before she was thrown into the dumpster,''

"Our theory is that she was dragged from a car, up to the dumpster, stabbed in the neck, and quickly thrown into the dumpster, all within maybe three minutes. What amazes me is the fact that Alice isn't a small girl, almost 6ft, and around 145lbs, but this man was able to pick her up and throw her with the amount of force that killed her, Ms.Turner died on impact, her brain completely slammed into the back of her head with such velocity that her brain stem snapped,"

"To do that to something Alice's size you would have to be nothing short of a bodybuilder, but Ms.Bishop said the man was tall and kinda muscular, or in her exact words 'male model muscular, not hulk muscular' so we really have to look for Mr. Blue Eyes, if this man is tall and slightly muscular but can bodyslam a woman he probably had no more that 50lbs on."

Kaitie Bishop in her original statement says the man "couldn't have been that much taller than Alice, maybe two to three inches, but that's it." which would be 6'1 or 6'2. 

NJPD released a statement saying that despite Alice being naked, there seemed to be no proof of a sexual attack, both internal and external. Alice's funeral has been arranged for this Friday at 11:30, in New London, Connecticut, where the Bishops live.

_Lacey Dawson_

* * *

{ **VIDEO** }

Alice laughs, spinning around Max, her hair flying behind her as Max slides back and forth between the counter and refrigerator. Alice starts doing the mash potatoes before slipping which gets a laugh out of Kaitie who seems to be the one filming, Max is hunched over laughing while Alice is laying on the floor laughing.

"And everyone says you should be a model"

Alice and Max laugh harder, "I can't even walk in a straight line"

* * *

 

 


	2. ⚚ii⚚

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mid-1800s? Drama, it's all drama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> boop boop, you'll notice that Ainsley's character is a bit inconsistent, that's intentional.
> 
> Edit: I fluffed up Ainsley's name in this time period, in my notes it was supposed to be Angeline, not Adeline.
> 
> Edit 4/15: Ainsley first arrives in late June but before Damon's birthday so he's 17 when they first meet and less than a week later he's 18.

 

 

 

> **Like a domino,  
>  These wildfires grow and grow  
>  Until a brand new world takes shape**
> 
> **~ _earth, Sleeping At Last_**

 

 

 

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**1857**

* * *

I missed my tree, not seeing it in 800 years, not seeing them in 800 years, it's been rough. Nik is still insane, but that'll never change, Finn and Kol are still daggered and Elijah and Rebekah are somewhere up Nik's ass, so far in you'd need a search team to find them. Everything has changed so much that this place doesn't feel like home anymore. I stand on the hill that overlooks the meadow I used to play in as a child, it's been flattened, the only thing left is my tree and that'll never leave.

As long as I walk this earth, that tree will remain alive, there's a boy climbing my tree. Kol and I used to climb my tree, I fell once and broke my hand, Kol laughed at me and Finn about had a heart attack as he was supposed to make sure we didn't get hurt. Though I'm pretty sure Kol and I are the reason the saying "if there's a will there's a way" exists, if there was trouble to be found, we found it in spectacular fashion.

The boy is too high and it's clear he's tired, somebody should out there with him to make sure he doesn't kill himself accidentally, but I guess that's my job now. I cross the field until I'm under my tree, Vale is immediately by my side, I smile at him before returning my attention to the child. As expected, the boy's arms give out and he falls, and I catch him, he's a lot heavier than he looked, my goodness.

"Now just what were you trying to do?" I ask, holding the boy to my chest as he recovers, his breath hard and erratic, his left arm starts turning a very interesting purple. You don't see purple like that in America, at least not yet, maybe in Venice, Paris, or even Barcelona. I miss Europe, but Europe is obvious and obvious means Nik and Elijah and I'd rather die than come across those two, they know where I am anyway, it's not like they don't have around twenty little vampire rats following me from a distance. Cockroaches. 

"I wanted to reach the top," he begins, turning to face me with big innocent green eyes, Vale has green eyes, I love Vale, "but then I felt my arm crack and I fell, thank you for catching me." He's very polite and obvious well tutored, must be wealthy, too clean to be a stable boy, stable boys don't wear silk.

"Well it does appear that your arm is broken, would you like me to take you to the surgeon's? I promise you'll be home for supper, your mother needn't worry." I stand, pulling him up with me, by his good arm of course, he frowns, and just now do tears begin to form in his eyes.

"My mother is dead," he whispers, as if it was a secret, "father said she had a fever but my brother said she had a bad lung and neither one of them would allow me to ask the doctor." He wipes at his face with his hand, I bend down to his level. 

"I'm terribly sorry, my friend, it's awful isn't?" I take his hand and begin walking towards the dirt road, we don't talk until we reach our destination, "would you like me to go in with you?"

He nods, "I've never been here because I've hurt myself. My brother broke his foot when I was small, I don't remember how."

"I broke my arm falling out a tree too, it wasn't a fun experience, I even cried." I tell him, pushing his hair out of his face and he smiles up at me and everything stops hurting. 

The surgeon opens the door and his eyes widen when he sees the boy, "Mr.Salvatore, now how did this come about?" His tone was light but his words were an accusation, but by his face I know the boy hadn't picked up on it. 

"I tried climbing the big tree on our property." Mini Mr.Salvatore admits in a small voice, the surgeon smiles before laughing. 

"Your brother did the same thing, broke his foot." That gets him to perk up.

"Damon really broke his foot climbing that same tree?" He was excited about this new piece of information, the surgeon nods and motions for him to sit on the bed.

"Your mother had a fit, you'd think he had been shot in the chest with how she was carrying on. Damon ignored her completely."

I stand in the doorway listening to them chatter, finally learning the boy's name, Stefan. Stefan Salvatore. Age 10, lost his mother two months ago, has an older brother named Damon. I realized I need a name, I don't have a name. Quick, Ainsley you were just in France, they all have nice names, pick one!

Angeline. Wow that was fast, good job Ainsley. Thank you Ainsley. I look down at the floor to hide my smile, I'm the funniest person alive, I swear it. I turn out to the street to watch the people, "Stefan is there someone who could drive you home, it's getting dark."

"Damon should still be helping Ms. Windfield." Dr. Carlison mentions absent handedly, I nod silently.

"Why is Damon helping Ms. Windfield? He doesn't like her."

I let out a sharp laugh, turning to face Stefan once again, "you are one in a million, aren't you Stefan? Does Ms. Windfield have a daughter?"

"Yeah, her name is Charlotte, Damon calls her Charlie because she hates it." Stefan tells me with a smile before wincing when his arm is touched, it looks to be almost completely set. What is a 10-year-old boy going to do with one arm? He might die of boredom. I remember I barely survived at six, inaction just doesn't suit me.

"Well Mr.Salvatore, you should be all healed in around four months." Stefan frowns, obviously expecting a shorter span of time, I flash him a soft smile and hold out my hand for him to take which he does and we walk out of the office together, across the road there's a man- boy? I'm assuming it's Damon because he looks ready to laugh until he vomits.

"Father won't be pleased." Is the first thing out of his mouth, I narrow my eyes at him, he hasn't even looked my way which is kinda annoying because I'm gorgeous and I like attention. He finally glances at me, first my face, then my chest, typical. "Who are you?"

"Angeline, I prevented your brother from cracking his skull open, the arm was already broken." I put my arm around Stefan who leans into the touch, I've been around a long while and I've seen a lot of men, but Damon had to be one of the most handsome I've come across.

He looked nothing like his brother, his hair was black and his eyes were an icy blue. I also appeared to be taller than him, not by much though. He continues to stare at me, clearly trying to get to know who I am. 

“And what is someone from England doing in Virginia?” He asks, his tone accusatory, I flash him a grin that was all teeth, like a wolf. 

“Are you trying to intimidate me, Mr. Salvatore?” I inquire, standing up straighter, he tracks my movements, also like a wolf. “I can guarantee you that it isn’t going to work, now I do suggest you take your brother home, I did promise him he would be home for supper.”

“No, Ms. Angeline, I am not trying to intimidate you, you seem the type to stare down a barrel of a gun with a grin.” Damon tells me, pushing Stefan lightly so the boy was standing in front of him. “Where are you staying?”

Where am I staying? How come I always fail to think ahead when it comes to new personas. “I haven’t thought that far ahead, it seems.” God I feel like Rebekah, the little strumpet.

“We have a guest room, you can stay there!” Stefan chirps and Damon looks down at him in disbelief.

“Stefan, it’s not exactly wise to invite strangers into your home, and father hasn’t met her I presume. So impulsive.”

The dirt road seemed longer in the dark, I held Stefan’s hand while Damon walked closely behind us, their house was on the edge of the field, quite a ways from my tree, white and massive. The porch was lit up by lanterns and a man was standing in front of the door, as we got closer it was clear the man was none too pleased.

“Damon I know well enough that you possess a watch, so please tell me what time it is.” His voice is sharp, reminding me of Mikael, ew.

Damon pulls out a pocket watch and steps into the light, “half past eight, father.” The man makes a pleased noise, before switching his gaze over to Stefan and his face visible softens. I guess it’s clear who the favorite is.

“And what happened to you, young man?” His voice suddenly teasing, light, more like Damon’s when he spoke to Stefan.

“I fell out of a tree,” Stefan explains and I clear my throat and give him a look, “I was climbing the tree and it broke, and then I fell out of the tree.” He sheepishly adds.

“The same tree Damon fell out of?” Stefan nods, rocking back and forth on his feet. “Damon, help him get ready for bed, Maybelle will bring you both a portion of your dinner. As for you, Miss, I’d like to have a word.” The first time he acknowledges me it’s with a hard face and straight back, judgement.

I nod silently, smiling as Stefan turns to wave at me, “goodnight, sweet boy.” He returns the saying before leaving my view. I’m left alone with Mr. Salvatore and for some reason that gives me an uncountable number of nerves. Mr. Salvatore motions for me to step off of the porch and he offers me his arm which I take because I have a feeling that this is the limit of his hospitality.

“I take it you were the one who walked my boy to the surgeon? I’m very grateful for that, after Damon fell from that damned tree my late wife had forbidden both of them from touching the thing. I thought she was being unreasonable, children play, and children get hurt.” He explains and I furrow my brow, uncertain as to where this was going, we were now surrounded by total darkness as he didn’t take a lantern with us. “Did you get hurt as a child?” 

“Quite a bit, I was the first girl of four boys.” I semi-lie, wrapping my arms around myself as I realized I was cold, he let out a soft hum and I can barely react before I’m falling.

Why am I falling? Why am I wet? I cough and sputter, desperately trying to loosen my corset and strip my underskirt off. I’m in a well. Mr. Salvatore, a grown man, threw me into a well.

“How is it that you just appeared? There was no word that we’d be expecting a visitor.” He was leaning over the side, watching as I struggle to remove my petticoat and suddenly I’m under water, I frantically tap the wall of the well in search of a loose stone or one that slightly protruded so I could hold onto it and not die. I find one and grasp it with both hands, pulling myself from under the surface, coughing harshly.

“Why?” I scream, pushing my hair out of my face, the brick was hardly a help but help enough.

“Mystic Falls has no room for witches.” Is the reply, witches? How?

“I’m not a witch, I swear it!”

“Father? Where’s Ms. Angeline?” Damon, oh thank god for Damon.

“Damon? Damon please let me up!” My hands were starting to slip and I still had my heavy boots on, I start coughing again, kicking my dress away from me.

“You threw her down a well? Father have you lost your mind?” Damon lowers the bucket, “don’t put your full weight on it, find stones that are sticking out and climb.”

“Okay,” I whisper, moving to the opposite wall, finding multiple stones that were out and used them to climb up partially and Damon pulled me out the rest of the way. I stumble back and fall to the ground, Damon fell to his knees in front of me, pushing hair out of my face.

“There should be some towels in the stable, can you walk?” I shake my head, I had forgotten I even had legs. Damon easily picks me up and carries me to the stable, he places me on a block of hay, leaves and quickly returns with multiple towels. Damon decides the first one is for my hair and he gently dries it with the softest towel, “stand up.” He mumbles, he helps me to my feet and wraps a second towel around my upper body. I rest my head on his shoulder, shaking from either the cold or my quiet sobs, I hadn’t decided yet.

“Why did-” Damon shushes me, throwing the wet towel onto the floor, he gives me a grim smile, one that was leaps and bounds away from his eyes.

“Had he hit you?” He asks, unlacing my boots and he pulls down my soaked stockings, I shake my head with a quiet sniffle. Damon takes his time with aiding me, going back into the stable house and returning with a hairbrush, “it was my mother’s, I’m sure she won’t mind.” He tells me, running the brush through my hair until it was all nice and neat.

“You look like her?” I receive another grim smile and a nod.

“Let’s get you to bed,” I’m in his arms again, then I’m in his arms in his front room, next I’m in his arms in his guest room. A beautiful queen bed with silk sheets and a chaise in the corner with a vanity pressed up against the wall near the door.

“Stay?” I ask, my voice soft, he purses his lips before agreeing, he walks over to the wardrobe and pulls out a nightgown.

“Again, was my mother’s and it should fit fine except around the,” he makes a hand gesture to my chest, “she wasn’t as big or-”

“Damon leave so I can change,” he nods and quickly exits the room and closes the door behind him. I wiggle out of my under dress and undergarments before putting on the nightgown, which was indeed tight around my breast.

Damon returns minutes later in his nightwear, he moves over to the chaise and lies down. “Goodnight Ms. Angeline.”

“Goodnight Mr. Salvatore.”

 

* * *

 


	3. ♙iii♙

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot can change in two months, but in Mystic Falls, it's rarely for the better. bits of 1857 and 1858.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was also supposed to cover 1861, but shit guys, this chapter is long as fuck and I wanna cry, 7977 words.
> 
> edit 4/15: I've changed Damon's birth year so many damn times, so I just went back to the official year which is 1839, so he's 18 and 19

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**1857**

**2 MONTHS LATER**

**AUGUST**

* * *

 

 

I stare at the man in front of me, mouth open and blinks slow and deliberate. Surely this is a joke, it has to be a joke. He couldn’t be serious, nearly a month of longing looks and subtle passes does not have the means for intimacy. I barely know who this man is, Damon told me he used to beat the hell out of his late wife he claims to miss so much, and that is not something to be taken lightly. 

“Giuseppe, are you sure? We still haven’t told the children.” He lets out a small laugh, closing the distance between us so he’s right in my space.

“I know, Angeline and we will in the morning, I cannot resist you any longer.” He has green eyes, like his boy, like my Vale.

“Giuseppe, this isn’t a wise idea.” I whisper, letting him play with my hair, I have a really bad feeling about this.

“I don’t care, little dove.” His eyes are really green, almost greener than Vale’s, I miss Vale. It’s no wonder his boys are so rash and never think about the consequences until after the fact, he’s just as impulsive. I hope they don’t hate me for this, I don’t think I can take another person I care about hating me.

“How do you think the boys will take it? I’m not much older than Damon and the last thing I want to do is cause drama.” My concerns are more than valid but Giuseppe is too busy staring at my lips. “Oh for the love of god, Giuseppe, if you aren’t going to pay attention to me would you just kiss me?” He does, he kisses me likes he’s been dying for it, like he’s been thinking about it for weeks. He probably has.

Everything happens quickly, his shirt is gone, my dress pulled to reveal my chest, he’s on top of me and I’m trying to remove his belt. Fast.

“My lord, Angeline, you’re gorgeous. Absolutely stunning.” I smile and pull him up into a kiss, just as feverous as the first, drowning in lust and need. Positively sinful. I finally manage to rid him of his belt, the damned thing was far too complicated for a piece of leather. I go to unzip his pants but I get distracted with a new presence. Stefan is standing in the doorway with wide eyes, wide tearful eyes.

“Stefan,” my voice was nothing more than a breath but it got Giuseppe to still his movements, the boy lets out a sob and runs, slamming the door as he left. “Giuseppe, he looked heartbroken!” This was exactly what I was afraid of, I quickly pull my dress up and leave the room in search of Stefan. I play with him nearly everyday for two months and he walks in on his father about to fuck me, four months after losing his wife. That’s not a long time, that’s not _enough_ time.

“Stefan?” I open his bedroom door and just narrowly avoid the dress shoe thrown at my head, I deserve that, everything he has to say to me in this moment I deserve, I lied to him. I told him I had no interest in his father.

“Why would you do that?” His voice is small and shaky and tears were avidly falling from his eyes, he wipes at his eyes and coughs, “why would you do that to me?” He shakes with sobs and I take a step towards him but he shakes his head.

“Stefan, the last thing I wanted to do is upset you, the last thing your father wants to do is upset you and I’m sorry that I hurt you.” I sit down on his floor and he throws the other shoe at me, this time it hits me in the head.

“That wasn’t very nice, Stefan.” Damon says from the doorway, oh please don’t make this worse, he can so easily make this so much worse.

“Being a whore isn’t nice either,” he mumbles under his breath, but both Damon and I hear it. Damon picks up the shoe and throws it back at Stefan with unnecessary force.

“Have some manners, Stefan!” Damon snaps, where’s Giuseppe? I slowly rise to my feet and make my way back to my bedroom, Giuseppe is sitting on my bed with his head in his hands, oh so he can show remorse, that’s nice to know.

“I told you that they deserved to know and now he hates me!” There were tears in my eyes and my voice cracks at the end, he thinks I’m a whore, “say something!” I demand and he finally looks up at me.

“I told him, promised him, I would wait a year until I found another lover, I lied. What do we do now?” He asks me, pulling me onto his lap, I shake my head and hide my face in his neck.

“He called me a whore,” I whisper, my body shaking with sobs, “he hates me Giuseppe and it hurts knowing that he has every right to, they both do.” He doesn’t say anything but he rubs my back, he stands suddenly and places me on the bed.

“Sleep my little dove, we will discuss this in the morning.” He whispers, kissing me softly before blowing out the candle and leaving. I strip myself of my dress and slide into bed, pretending I didn’t hear Damon yelling at his father for being “so blinded by lust that you completely forgot about your children!” This is all my fault, if I wasn’t so selfish and asked them how they would feel.

* * *

**ONE MONTH LATER**

**SEPTEMBER**

Stefan has made it his mission to make me as miserable as possible, and his first course of action was telling the town gossip that I was a prostitute, the men were tripping over themselves trying to get close to me, asking me what my rates were. Most of them had wives. Damon was just upset that Giuseppe lied and he says he's fine with it, even though I'm closer to being his sister than a parental figure.

Then Giuseppe proposed and I've been in a constant state of panic ever since. Maybelle's been a great help, without her I feel like I would jump off a cliff with all the options of flowers, shoes, and dresses I feel like I'm drowning. 

"You look flustered." Damon states, handing me a cup of tea, oh thank god for tea, I take a deep sip, not caring if it was still scolding hot. I need the comfort, I need the stability. 

"I have so many things to do, Damon, it feels like I barely have anytime to breathe," Damon was such a nice distraction, everyone seems to judge him too quickly and harshly, "you're a godsend, Damon, truly." I smile at him, placing the cup on the table next to me.

"What can I help you with?" He asks, kneeling down in front of me, he pulls the notebook out of my hand and turns it so he could read what I've written. "So you have everything but a dress?" Everything but the most important thing. 

"The dress shop is in town, and the whole town is still convinced I'm a prostitute, townsmen still make passes at me and their wives give me dirty looks." I mumble and he sighs, hitting my knee with the book.

"Ms. Angeline, you are not a prostitute and the town can go-" 

"Damon." Giuseppe cuts him off with a sharp voice and a pointed look and Damon flashes him one of his infamous grins. They both still can't stand each other and I fear that will never change and Giuseppe will never get the chance to properly meet his eldest son. Just how Mikael never truly knew Nik, which was his fault, he robbed himself of the opportunity of knowing what a sweet boy Nik was. Nik was ruined by lies and fake love. He's now nothing short of Satan, but that was his doing, despite him desperately searching for someone else to blame, his hatred took over his once kind -almost too kind, heart, and now he's a shell of a man on a path of destruction. 

I miss Nik, my sweet Nikky. Klaus can be damned to hell for all I give a damn, it's amazing how fast a person can rotten and be poisoned with anger and be ruined. 

"Please keep the crude comments to yourself, you're almost an adult, I think it's best time you start acting like one." Damon's eyes narrow into a glare that I'm sure could kill somebody, I sigh, shooting Giuseppe a look when Damon gets up and leaves, visibly upset.

"Could you be anymore patronizing?" I ask, very much with malice, malice I'm proud of, I like malice, "Damon was helping me with the wedding and now you've run him off." Giuseppe rolls his eyes like the mature adult he very much is not. 

"He should stop letting every little thing hurt his feelings," Giuseppe doesn't have time to duck before I launch the notebook at his head, "must you be so immature? My god, that hurt Angeline!" I smile at that, I wanted it to hurt.

"You are exactly like my father, and that makes me sick Giuseppe Salvatore. That boy is your son whether you like it or not, be at least cordial with him if you want me to stand within five feet of you. You are so unnecessarily cruel to only him, for what? What makes you think Damon deserves this?" I yell, pushing myself up from my seat.

"Yelling at me is not wise, Angeline, I-"

"What are you going to do? Hit me? Do it, Mr. Salvatore, but it must be known that I am not Lily, and if so much as tap me out of anger I can promise you it will the last thing you do." I cut him off, purposely brushing his shoulder as I leave, storming to the back gardens where Stefan was having his tutoring session.

Both Stefan and his tutor shift their attention to me, an enraged woman, I kick over a flowerpot. Giuseppe Salvatore is one of the most horrid people I've ever met in my life, he was stubborn, brash, and undeniably cruel. Yet here I am, still wearing the engagement ring, but now I have to ask myself; do I love Giuseppe or do I love his children? 

"Mrs.-"

"Please don't call me that, I'll throw myself into the rose bush." Mr. O'Fallon's eyes widen and he nods curtly, Stefan smirks at me so I throw a pebble at him, it hits him in the shoulder and he frowns. "I am not in the mood for your petty games, Stefan, breathe in my direction and it'll be a stone instead of a pebble." I threaten, he nods slowly, turning his attention back to his book. And Giuseppe gets on Damon for being rude, Stefan is so much worse.

I push the gate open and round the house, in route to my tree, to my Vale, to my Nelda, my family. I've missed my family. Once out of sight, I sprint to the tree, excitement bubbling in my chest. They're both there to greet me and I could collapse with joy, my sweet Nelda runs to me, latching onto my legs like a little leech. No one can see us, even if they were to stand right next to me, under my tree, I would remain unseen. Safe.

"Mama!" She's pulling me down to her and I go willingly, rolling over onto my back so I can hold her to my chest. Vale sits down next to me and I cry, letting my pride go completely, I cry to the point I can barely breathe. Vale says nothing, but he runs his hand through my hair and my girl tucks her head under my chin. "We missed you, mama." She whispers, gripping my necklace in her small fist. 

"I missed you too, so much it hurt, Nellie." I answer back, just as quietly, Vale pulls me up so my back is against his chest and he rests his head on my shoulder. For a while we all just lay together in silence, not needing to say anything to know what was meant. Vale rubs my side while I braid Nelda's hair, it was so long for her age, so thick, so me and I love it, the only indication that Vale was her father was the fact her hair was his light brown opposed to my dark brown hair. I wish I could stay here forever, and I tell them "I love you both more than I could ever put into words, I wish I could be home with-"

"Don't you dare say such a horrid thing, Ainsley, this is enough. This tree is our home and it is enough, Nellie and I yearn for you, but we both understand you aren't with us for a reason. You were made to do so much, I won't allow you to make that sacrifice." His voice is rough and he squeezes my arm for emphasis, I nod softly before wiping my eyes. "You are so much bigger than this and you have to realize that. Now the world wants you to be with that man, so go be with him and see where it takes you."

"He's an ass, Vale."

"I'm well aware of that, Ainsley, but so was I, and look at the little monster we created and tell me you regret it." I glance down at Nelda, who looks up at me with big brown doe eyes, filled with innocence. She sticks out her tongue and crosses her eyes and I can't help the laugh that escapes, Vale chuckles from behind me.

"A ferocious beast she is indeed, I could never regret it." I laugh, squeezing her tummy which incites a loud squeal followed by high-pitched giggles, "I love you so much, sweet baby girl." My Nelda buries her face in my stomach and continues to giggle, I hear a muffled "I love you, Mama" and I turn to face Vale. 

"Go, Ainsley, we'll survive." He whispers, kissing my neck gently and he reaches over to pull Nellie off of me and the loss of the weight hits me immediately and I feel the aching pain in my chest, in my heart.

Standing is very difficult, leaving is even harder. I sigh, wiping my eyes one more time before beginning my walk back to the house, surely it had to be lunch time by now. Walking through the front door was easy, Giuseppe was sitting in the front room, obviously waiting for me. He looks up when I close the door and lets out a breath, he had been wringing his hands, he had been worried.

"Angeline, my little dove, it's been two hours, I know I upset you and I apologize, but-"

"Do you know why I was upset?" I ask and he frowns, clearly not understanding the question, sorry isn't always going to be enough, Giuseppe.

"You compared me to your father, and you hate him."

"I hated him based on how he treated his children, never took the time to truly meet us, he got one aspect and decided that it was who we were. You are so closed minded when it comes to Damon, you barely give him a chance to breathe. Carry on like this and I guarantee he won't show up to see you be lowered into the ground." He flinches, quickly adverting his gaze to the floor, had Lily never said anything about this? Had she never stuck up for her own child? Why am I acting surprised, Esther claimed to care so much, but she never told Mikael to stop, she told us to stop. 

_"The bruise should be gone in a few days, please stop provoking him, your father has a very untamable temper." "He wouldn't hurt you if you just listened to him." "Darling he didn't mean it, let him be for now."_

"Did you go to your father's funeral?"

"No." It was a simple but definite answer and he nods shakily, once again wringing his hands. I close the distance between us and grab his hands and gently pull them apart. "Try to be kind to him and all will be forgiven." 

"But it's already too late, isn't it?"

"Oh without a doubt, Giuseppe, for years you've been like this. Cruel has to be his only description of you, but this doesn't mean you can't attempt kindness." He frowns and I kiss him softly, he relaxes instantly. 

"I'm going to find Damon and we're going to finish planning this bloody wedding." I let go of his hands and don't give a chance to protest before I turn and skip up the stairs and continue on to Damon's room. The boy was reading  _The Scarlett Letter_ on his bed, I watch him from the doorway and it seems like he enjoys the book as he hasn't noticed me at all.

"Damon," I take pleasure in the way he startles, the book falling from his hands and he lets out a displeased groan, "it's a good read, isn't it?" He nods and buries his face into his blanket, I smile and take a seat on the edge of his bed, poking at his head.

"Are you five?" Is the first verbal response I receive, I laugh and poke him faster to which he finally sits up and pushes me off his bed, I have no time to think and I'm on his floor within seconds. His laugh fills the room and I can't help but smile.

"Yes, and apparently so are you." I rid myself of my boots and climb back onto his bed, pushing at him until he moves over, "much better, why isn't my blanket this soft?" He rolls his eyes and suddenly he tenses, the playful gleam in his eyes gone. "What troubles you?" I ask, he shakes his head before giving me a very fake smile.

"Damon don't insult me by expecting me to believe that smile is genuine, so I ask again, what troubles you?" He bites the inside of his lip and remains silent, "I guess I have to use force, just remember you made me do this." I grab a pillow from the head of the bed and begin hitting him with it, he makes a startled noise and covers his head.

"It didn't have to be like this, Damon!" I laugh, continuing to beat him with the pillow, he rolls over onto his back and grabs the pillow from my hands causing me to frown, what am I supposed to do without a weapon? He places the pillow over his face and groans, I poke his ribcage and he swats at me.

"I heard you and my father," oh. What do I say to that? "You're wrong, I'd go to his funeral, or I'd wait until it was over and everyone had gone and I'd cry because I know not once had he been proud of me when he was alive. No matter how you threaten him, he'll never think I'm good enough and he'll die that way, he can try to please you but it won't be genuine." He's crying, I pull him towards me so his head is in my lap.

"I'm proud of you," I whisper, pushing the pillow away so I can properly look at him, "I know it may not be enough but I am proud of you, Damon Salvatore, it's rare to come across a man with such a kind heart."

"You haven't been here five months."

"And yet here I am, being amazed at that the man you've become, the man you'll continue to be."

"My mother never did this, she would just sit there and act like it wasn't happening. I left when I was 13 and didn't come back for nearly a month and all she did when I returned was scold me for being late to supper."

"Not enough people have shown you kindness, and that truly is a crime." Wedding planning can wait.

* * *

**NUPTIALS**

Finally the day was here, the thing that annoys me the most about the change of centuries is how much weddings have changed. Vale and I never had half of the stuff Giuseppe is paying for, I know for a fact my parents didn't, hell, some of the things Vale and I had my parents didn't have or weren't tradition. Why do I need a flower girl? Why would I want any of these wretched women's spawn in my wedding? After all they've done to me they're lucky I haven't set their houses on fire. 

"Are you nervous." My sweet Damon, I turn to face him and shake my head, "you're lying."

"I feel like I'm going to throw up." I admit, my hands are shaking, they didn't shake when it was Vale. Vale never made me feel nervous, Damon crosses the room and places his hands on my shoulders.

"Take a deep breath, you look gorgeous, Stefan is being monitored, and everything is going to be fine." He tells me, I relax at hearing Stefan couldn't cause any trouble, I'm sure I would die had he do something. He still is trying to ruin everything for me and I guess Giuseppe is blind to it all because I haven't heard him chastise him at all, but Giuseppe has made sure to yell at Damon for almost every little thing and if he isn't yelling he's patronizing him. I just don't understand how you could be so cruel to a child, let alone your own child. Damon isn't even a bad child, he's perfectly polite unless given a reason not to be, well taught, and has an amazing sense of humor. He's perfect for society.

"Yes but I'm still marrying your father." I mutter pitifully and that incites a laugh out of Damon, I'm not saying I regret saying yes to Giuseppe's proposal, but I regret saying yes to Giuseppe's proposal.

"I fear there's nothing I can do to help that." He chuckles and I straighten his tie, brush off whatever might be on his shoulders. "I'm glad you asked me to walk you down the aisle, I just wish you had picked a better man."

"I do to, Damon, I do to."

"It's time, you know that, right?" Yes Damon, I know and I hate it. I stay because I love you, and that's it. I nod and hold out my arm for him to take. "Angeline, what is your last name?"

"Matthews." It's plain but I need plain to get by, plain helps me blend and blending is essential. 

The church is fairly new, so it doesn't smell of death and mold. I don't like the smell of death, it sticks to you, forever. Everyone was staring at me and that brings me back to my senses, I'm about to be married to a widower who is a borderline alcoholic and blatantly abusive. For Damon and for whatever the hell the witches are planning, I don't trust any of them. I liked Ayana, but she's the reason I hurt so much as a child, I no longer like Ayana. Oh, we're already at the altar, that's... nice, I suppose. Giuseppe is smiling at me and I smile back, he's drunk. Two nights ago he was telling me how he has never felt love like this in his life, but here he is, drunk at his own wedding. Witches, if you can hear me, I expect full compensation for this mess.

"Angeline Matthews, do you take Giuseppe Salvatore as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?" Fuck no.

"I do." 

"Giuseppe Salvatore, do you take Angeline Matthews as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

"I do." I guess I'm Mrs. Salvatore now, ew, I don't like that.

"I pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride." I can do that.

Faking love is something that comes easy to me, Giuseppe pulling my veil back and kissing me passionately isn't the issue, I can make him believe I truly love him. However, I'm not good a pretending to like someone, and I despise Giuseppe Salvatore.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore." I smile, turning to look at the guests, few of them were invited by me, I wanted Maybelle to come but Giuseppe wouldn't allow it. He so desperately wants to prove himself the biggest man in the room by pointing out everyone else's flaws but not owning up to his own flaws.

"You taste like bourbon, Giuseppe, are you drunk?" My voice is tight and I feel him tense up beside me, did he think I wouldn't notice? His breath smells like a liquor store and his pupils are shot to hell, clearly inebriated off his ass.

"The nerves-"

"The majority of this town hates me and yet they're all at my wedding, don't you dare talk of nerves or I'll sever yours." He gulps and nods, I catch Damon's gaze and flash him an honest smile, why didn't I let Damon court me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One thing I admire about Giuseppe is that the sex is great, probably his only redeeming quality is that he knows how to treat me well in bed. Surprisingly, he isn't aggressive at all, I had expected him to be one of the guys that were only in it for them.

"How do you feel about children?" I don't hear the question at first because it's mumbled against my shoulder with a hand firmly on my hip, forgive me for being a bit hazy.

"Love them," I groan, pressing my face into his chest, he hums and kisses my neck softly, over and over again, "love you." He lets out a breath that I know is him smiling, he loves it when I tell him I love him, I hope he becomes a better man so maybe one day I could mean it. He can be so good, he can be so kind, he chooses not to be, he makes the choice to be so cruel and I don't understand why. 

"I love you too, my little dove," I cup his face in my hand, pulling him down to kiss me, I smile into the kiss and I can almost convince myself that I love him, almost, "would you rather a girl or boy? I'd love to have a daughter." 

"You would?" Don't fault me for being surprised, Giuseppe and a little girl just doesn't seem like a good idea. "I yearn for a boy, I want him to have your eyes, and your smile, as rare as it is beautiful. I wish him to have my hair, thick and dark, and my laugh, my heart." 

Giuseppe laughs quietly, rolling off of me and onto his side of the bed, pulling me with him so my head is resting on his chest, "you have such a way with words, little dove, one of my favorite things about you." I decide to stay silent and instead of speaking I trace his chest, the outline of his ribcage, his heart.

"Give me a baby boy, his name shall be Henry and I'll love him more than anything in the world." I tell him as he runs his hand through my hair, pausing occasionally to massage the back of my head, I hum pleasantly and lean further into him. He's warm, I like warm.

"I'll give you a baby boy, I promise my dove, you will have your baby Henry." He vows, pressing a kiss to my head.

"Sleep, husband, today has been long and eventful and it is now time to-"

"Angeline, if you want to speak to Damon so damn bad, just tell me, trying to put me to sleep so you can sneak off isn't a good look," I let out a nervous giggle, "it doesn't bother me that you two have this bond, at all, so go see him and make him smile, Christ the whole reception he looked as if he was sucking on a lemon."

Laughing, I slide out of bed and put my nightgown back on and my night coat, "do put on slippers, the floor is exceptionally frigid." I nod, sliding into my slippers and leaving the room, walking like a gentlewoman for about ten paces before breaking out into a run.

Damon is still up, and he has a guest, Charlotte, and they look to be having fun. He should have closed the door, why does it hurt? They both are topless and Charlotte has her hair down, oh her mother is going to have a stroke. Damon goes to undo his pants and that's when I decide I should go. I go to turn and leave but Damon is already staring at me, he looks guilty, god he looks so fucking guilty and I hate it. He politely excuses himself and rushes out of the room, "what are you doing here?" The tone is harsh and I take a step back.

"I wanted to talk to you, but you're busy so we can talk in the morning." I should not be this upset, Damon is obviously going to have girls over, he probably already has and I haven't noticed and it should not bother me this-

"Why are you crying?" Why am I crying? I wipe at my face and shrug, "Angeline, look me in the eyes and tell me you and my father haven't had sex tonight, can you do that?" I shake my head and he rolls his eyes, "then you have no reason to be upset, it's your wedding night and you shouldn't even be out of bed, you should be flat on your back get-" I slap him, hard. How dare he, how fucking dare he.

"Why are you so angry with me?" Tears openly rolling down my cheeks, he ignores me and returns to his room, this time closing the door and I'm left crying in the hallway. After a few minutes I wipe under my eyes and head back to my room, praying Giuseppe is asleep. But of course he isn't, he's reading and the second he realizes I'm crying he's up and trying to leave the room. "Giuseppe, it doesn't have anything to do with Damon, he was already asleep."

"Am I supposed to believe that, Angeline?" 

"I just miss my brother, okay? He always said he would walk me down the aisle and he didn't and I-" Giuseppe pulls me to his chest when I start shaking, Finn gave me away to Vale and then Vale and Nellie died and he told me if I ever chose to marry again he'd give me away. Giuseppe walks us over to the bed and lays me down before sliding in next to me, "I thought I could survive without them but I don't know what I'm doing, Giuseppe, and I'm scared. I'm so scared." He shushes me and wraps his arms around me.

"What is it that you're scared of?" I shake my head, closing my eyes, "goodnight sweet dove." Goodnight Giuseppe, I may love you one day.

* * *

**HAPPY NEW YEAR**

**JANUARY 1858**

I'm pregnant, about four months along, which brings me out of my "I miss Finn and Kol, life will always end in tragedy" funk. Damon ignoring me, however, throws me right back in it, he and Charlotte have been damn near inseparable and it's driving Charlotte's mother insane and apparently I'm Damon's mother now, me at 19 and him at 18, so she brings all her complaints to me.

"He's just no good for her! My little girl is sneaking out at night all to see your boy, now Mrs. Salvatore you ought to get a hold of him or I'll-"

"You'll what, Mrs. Windfield, kill him?" I snap, pushing past her but of course she follows, "also, he's not my boy, I had no part in raising him. If you truly have a problem with his behavior do take it up with the late Mrs. Salvatore, you know where she is." Low, even for me, but I don't care.

"My god, have you no heart? Who raised you, Mrs. Salvatore, vikings?" 

"Wouldn't you love to know, how about you talk to your daughter and tell her to stay away from Damon. I'm pretty sure he isn't sneaking out of the house at god knows what hour to meet a lover."

"They are not lovers, Mrs. Salvatore, if he has put a finger on her I swear-"

"A finger on her or in her? I'm sure both has happened." A hand meets my cheek and I stumble back, cupping my face.

"Nancy Winfield, please tell me I did not just see you strike my wife." Giuseppe's sharp voice rings out, storming towards us with Stefan trailing behind, a grin on his rotten face.

"She was making crude remarks about my child, forgive me for reacting negatively."

"Mrs. Windfield refuses to believe that Damon and Charlotte have been intimate and is ordering me to keep Damon away from her when it's Charlotte who's sneaking into our house, not the other way around." I explain, rubbing my cheek as I walk over to him, resting my head on his shoulder.

Giuseppe sighs, kissing my forehead gently, "Nancy, if you truly have a problem with the relation, would it not be best to talk with your daughter first?" He's being too kind, far too kind and it's frustrating. "I should add that if you ever put your hands on my wife again I will kill you." Oh there it is, that's good.

Her face contorts into something nasty before realizing Giuseppe was dead serious and that's when her face pales and she's visibly gulps, stupid bitch. 

I truly have no idea why she thought she could put an end to this relationship, Charlotte is madly in love with Damon and Damon is, well, he's getting his sexual desires sated. He couldn't possibly love her in the way she loves him, he's never truly listening to her when she talks, it's cruel really. The poor girl has no idea he's using her.

"I do believe it's time to head home, isn't it dear?" I nod, letting Giuseppe lead me to the carriage, my feet hurt. My feet never hurt with Nellie, all I felt was joy when Nellie was in my womb. Now my feet ache and I grow tired so easily, Giuseppe sometimes has to carry me to bed forcefully because I refuse to admit I'm tired. "Are you tired, Angeline?" I yawn shaking my head and he chuckles, resting a hand on my bump, he does always seems to be touching my bump if he's close enough.

As usual, the ride home is uneventful and drab, always drab. The horses make it much shorter, though, walking takes forever and a day. The same trees that shed the same leaves, the same birds that sing the same songs, Mystic Falls is quite boring now. When I was little, before it was Mystic Falls, there was much to do and so much space to do it, rarely did you do the same thing for two consecutive days. There was always a new game to be made up, new fabrics at the market, and new neighbors, Kol and I used to go around and greet the new settlers, we always seemed to make a bad impression though and I can't for the life of me understand why.

My body betrays me as I begin to nod off on Giuseppe's shoulder, by the time we return to the house I'm asleep and my darling husband has to carry me into the house. "Not tired you say?" He teases and I hum softly, then louder once he places me on our bed, "do try to get a full nights rest, little dove." 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

**MAY 4TH, 1858**

Labor is never fun, Nellie nearly tore my birth canal, which hurt like a fucking bitch. I could've sworn someone had shoved a dagger up my vagina, it was that bad, so I'm praying Henry is easier, oh please be easy.

"How are you so calm? Father is losing his head and you're just laying in bed like a child isn't about to come out of you." Damon now is not the time to be questioning my mood, I breathe slowly out of my nose, the last thing I need is an interrogation on why I act a certain way. 

Wait, why is Damon here? I open my eyes to glare at him, "who said you could be in here?" My voice is short and sharp, just like my patience.

"He was present for Stefan's birth and-"

"You allowed a child that young witness childbirth?" I don't think I saw Rebekah or Henrik's birth, my first experience with childbirth was when I was the one bearing the child.

"He threw one of the biggest tantrums I've ever witnessed, laid on the ground and screamed until I agreed." The grin on Damon's face says it all, he's proud of the terror he's caused, and as he should be. 

"Do anything of the sort and I'll hang you." The grin quickly leaves his face and appears on mine, "also, am I not supposed to be calm? Is that not normal?" Of course it's not normal, most women are in agony.

"Lily cried the whole time." Well it's a good thing I'm not Lily, isn't it.

Contraction. Wince. Breath, repeat until the baby has exited your body. 

"This midwife better have an amazing excuse as to why she's late, you sent for her almost three hours ago, it's not windy nor is it storming so where is she?" I all but whine, kicking my legs for extra measure and Giuseppe rolls his eyes. "I'm sure she's on her way." 

"She shouldn't be on her way! She should be here!" I groan, kicking my legs some more to really get my point across, I have met Queen Elizabeth and I demand the same level of respect and- contractions, stupid fucking contractions. Maybelle is a qualified midwife, but apparently Giuseppe is so far up his white ass to allow a black woman to deliver his child, I just don't get it.

"I want Maybelle to-"

"No."

"Giuseppe if this child is not birthed within the next two hours I'm killing everybody in this room, I've been lying in this bed for almost twelve hours, take pity on me." He shakes his head and both Damon and I glare at him. "You stubborn son of a bitch, MAYBELLE!" Damon tries to stifle his laugh as his father is promptly telling me off.

"Angeline I will not-"

"Why?" Damon asks, leaning his back against the wall so he could fully look at his father, the two of are like two bulls facing off, not matter who wins, the whole vicinity is getting destroyed, "you were perfectly okay with her being a wet nurse for Stefan, get a grip father, she's more human than you'll ever be so stop it." Ooh, this is why Damon's my favorite, he's just the right amount of dickhead for me to still appreciate his company, he's also one of the nicest people I've ever met, once again, I met Queen Elizabeth and she was a doll, he's also incredibly educated not only from school but from the world around him.

"And what makes you think you're allowed to talk to me like that?" Damon rolls his eyes and pushes off the wall, muttering something under his breath as he leaves.

"Well he isn't exactly wrong, your superiority complex is quite unattractive. Maybelle is going to deliver our child, end of story." He crosses his arms in an attempt to look intimidating, I've told him numerous times that it doesn't work.

"Giuseppe my brothers used to chase me with bow and arrows for fun, you crossing your arms isn't going to scare me." Maybelle enters the room and does everything in her power to avoid looking at Giuseppe and I can't blame her at all.

"You're no longer needed, we'll call you when Henry's here, oh and do tell Damon to come back, I need someone to make me laugh." Because you're a humorless fool, it's unspoken but still very much received. He exits and Damon enters not too long after, finally.

Let's have a baby.

"How far apart are your contractions?" I shrug, too close, way too close.

"Close enough to tell that this may be over soon, hopefully, Maybelle never allow me to get pregnant again, okay?" Damon laughs and lays down next to me, is this weird? Having your step son in the same bed whilst you're giving birth? I'm beginning to think it's a little weird how close Damon and I are, and it's obvious it's making Giuseppe nervous, fearful that I'll leave him for his own son which is tasteless, truly. I would never.

"My mother said that my brothers just popped out, and I took over a day to be birthed." So please Henry, please just pop out, if you love me at all, you'll just slide out.

"Can you feel him?" I nod and Maybelle gives me a smile, "then it shouldn't be long before he starts moving."

Please don't tear my birth canal please don't tear my birth canal please don't tear my birth canal please please oh pretty please. Damon pokes my cheek softly, "now you look stressed, you aren't in pain or anything, right?" I shake my right as Henry starts moving, and ow, he's definitely tearing my birth canal. "That face contradicts everything you just said, are you in pain Angeline?"

"Now I am." I grit out, Maybelle has a look of shock on her face, that can't be good. "What is it?"

"You're bleeding, Miss, you shouldn't be bleeding." I let out a whine, kicking my legs once again, Henry why would you betray me like this? How could you betray me like this? After everything I've done for you, my heart is broken.

"Get him out!"

"Miss he isn't even crowning yet, you'll have to start pushing." I frown, that'll hurt me even more, no pushing, he can just stay halfway inside of me and I'll be perfectly okay with that, "Miss Angeline, please start pushing, he could die." What? 

"What?" Damon exclaims, sitting straight up, "he could what?"

"It hurts so much, Maybelle, please make it stop hurting." I beg, Nellie didn't hurt like this, she didn't make me bleed.

~~~~~

He's here, took him fifteen hours and I'm very inclined to just kill him, he harmed my vagina, okay? He harmed me, if he wasn't so damn cute I'd throw him out the window, I did not wait fifteen hours in a horribly painful labor for my kid to be ugly, I did not. 

"He looks like me," Giuseppe's smiling and Damon rolls his eyes, mouthing at me "as if he needed a larger ego" I suppress a giggle and turn my gaze to the infant in my arms, he does look like Giuseppe, almost too much like Giuseppe. He has green eyes, Giuseppe's face structure -yes I can already tell- and sandy blonde hair, where the fuck is me? I aided a lot in the process of his life, I think I deserve a kid that looks even slightly like me.

"I don't like it," everyone's head snaps up to look at me, Giuseppe slowly narrows his eyes at me, "he doesn't have any of my features, he's a faulty baby." I claim and once again Damon rolls his eyes.

"I believe you told me you wanted him to look like me, now you're upset?" Yes, yes I am and it's completely valid.

"Hate to interrupt but, he's not even a day old, give him at least six months," Damon suggests and Giuseppe makes a gesture to silently indicate that he agrees with him, which obviously Damon notices, "I think I might be going deaf, what was that?" 

"I agree, Damon." Malice, there is malice in that statement and I don't like it but Damon doesn't seem to care and flashes him a smug grin. Great, now I'll have to deal with Stefan's evil ass and my faulty child. It's what the witches want, Ainsley, you gotta do it.

"So I'm going to feed him and then sleep for twelve hours." I flash them a very forced smile and shoo them both out of the room, leaving me with my newborn, my falsified newborn. My Henry. If he hurts my nipples I will throw him out the window, I do not need to be abused by my own child. 

He's also quite heavy, which I assume is Giuseppe's fault,  when I was born I just took a long time and ruined Esther's life, but things happen, what can you do? Everything that happened could've been prevented if she wasn't so stubborn and at times idiotic, she practically ruined her own life if you really think about it. Esther is like that, she ruins everything she touches, everyone she touches. She only ever saw things from one perspective and didn't give a shit about the other ways you could look at the situation. If one was to look up the world "inconsiderate" in the dictionary, Esther's name would be the definition, as it would be for "selfish" "foolish" and "bitch". 

"I do love you, Henry, though your betrayal was most upsetting, truly how could you do such a thing?" His answer involves a slow blink followed by spit up, I laugh softly and clean off his face with a rag. "I gave you a nice, comfortable womb to reside in and you give pain and blood, not a fair trade at all" Another blink, "not very talkative, are you?" Blink, wide smile, holy shit my kid looks like Stefan.

"Little dove, he's six hours old, of course he's not talking," Giuseppe's smiling at me from the doorway, "I think it's a miracle you got a smile out of him." He pushes himself off the doorframe and climbs onto the bed, gently taking Henry out of my hands. "I think he has your nose, it's a little button and I love it."

I give him a grin, leaning over to kiss him, "get him to bed, yeah? It shouldn't take long." I whisper, falling back onto the pillows and within minutes Henry is asleep in his arms, Giuseppe carefully slides off the bed and places him in his crib, a very old crib that I wanted to get rid off but apparently Giuseppe is sentimental about inanimate objects, the thing is older than Damon, his first child. It was made "in case" they had children, not because they were expecting a child, who does that?

"That thing is going to fall apart and our child will die, please let me buy a new one," I beg once Giuseppe is lying next to me, he gives me a look which indefinitely means the crib is staying, "Giuseppe, it's twenty years old!" He shrugs, kisses me on the cheek, and then pretends to be asleep, such a mature adult.

* * *

 


	4. ⥼iv⥽

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1861 
> 
> Giuseppe ruined Damon and it's pretty damn clear, so Damon's sadboi #1 (I hate myself for that)
> 
> Henry is a good boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1861's ending is a bit choppy but it was almost 4000 words and I really don't want to write another 7000+ word chapter (I say as I write another 7000+ word chapter) I also don't know what month the boys were turned, so I'm going with September. 
> 
> So gang, it's 3/11 and I'm currently at 8005 words, and Katherine still hasn't appeared so I'm just gonna cut it in half.

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**1861**

**JUNE**

* * *

June heat mixed with noon heat just isn't fun, there's already been four heat strokes this week and I have no desire to even take a step outdoors, Henry has the desire to take many steps outdoors which is why we're currently sitting in the front yard, he's attempting to do a cartwheel, again. In the past ten minutes all the 'cartwheels' he's done have ended with him on his bum, his chubby little bum and as most toddlers do, he popped right back up to do it again. His giggles alone are enough to make me forget about all the possible ways he could break his neck and die, though I know he won't die because it's not violent enough, and for some reason the witches feel the need to kill off my children in the most gruesome ways. 

"Look mama!" Another cartwheel and another landing on his bum, his turns around to face me and I swear his face is going to split if he doesn't stop smiling like that, "I did another flip!" Anoder fwip, actually, in his cute little English accent, oh I love him so much. I feel whole when he rushes to show me that he somehow beat Giuseppe at marbles -Giuseppe insisted he let him win- or how many jumps he can do with a skipping rope, or babbling on and on about how this army of toy soldiers defeated the other army. And his most prized possession, his baby blanket, besides him I'm the only one who's allowed to touch it and if I'm to wash it he sits next to me to make sure nothing goes wrong. He laughs until his tummy hurts and he can't breathe, he's far too much like Damon, always moving and learning and worst of all, listening. Talk as quietly as you want, they both will always hear the whole conversation, every private discussion takes place outside when the children are sleep as precaution.

"Henry darling, it's time to wash up for dinner," the look he gives me is as if I just told him he's going to the bloody gallows, I roll my eyes and hold out my hand, "please, Henry." Devious grin, Damon, small step backwards, all Damon, and running off to the dirt road, all fucking Damon. How dare he corrupt my boy. Luckily, his baby fat slows him down and I catch him easily.

Speaking of Damon, his birthday is less than a week away and I have yet to get him a gift, what do you give 22-year-old man? A knife? I do have a lovely taste in knives, as they're my preferred weapon. Giuseppe says I'm not allowed to get a knife because he fears that I'll kill him in his sleep if he upsets me, which is a reasonable concern as I'm prone to violence if crossed. How I haven't put Stefan's head on a spike yet is beyond me, he's a cockroach, an ugly ugly cockroach.

"I don't want to, mama," oh the whining, what a lovely sound, it truly is compared to the screaming and crying, "I want to keep playing." I adjust him on my hip and kiss his cheek because no, you're not going to keep playing. That's not gonna happen.

Walking into the house entails a warm greeting from Maybelle, the absolute light of my life, Stefan glaring at me and Giuseppe angrily reading a letter, oh how fun. I wash Henry's hands and send him off to the table, smiling as he struggles to get up on his chair. He starts fussing and turns to me with a pout, "need help mama." I oblige and place him in his chair, strapping him in so he doesn't fall and die, which again, he won't.

"Giuseppe, what on earth has got you so upset?" I ask and he shakes his head, saying that it wasn't appropriate for the table. Maybelle comes out of the kitchen with bread and a big bowl of pea soup and sets it in the middle of the table, Stefan groans and both Giuseppe and I give him a look.

"Father, I don't like pea soup!" What a fucking brat, Giuseppe ignores him which pleases me greatly, he usually gives in far too quickly. I pour Henry a decent serving of soup and then a lot more for myself, I like pea soup, sue me. Maybelle returns with wild boar and vegetables, Henry makes grabby hands at the plate of vegetables that contained green beans, his absolute favorite thing to eat, it was quite funny really he calls them "long bean" because he doesn't like the way he pronounces "green".

"Long bean please, Ms. Maybelle," oh my polite little boy, and Maybelle, the reason I live, gives him almost all of them, because he could eat all of them, "thank you, mama you should have long bean." He tells me, stabbing one with his fork, I don't think I'll ever correct him on the name he's given the vegetable, I think it's adorable. He uses his fork and spoon to put some of the green beans on my plate, "I share with you, mama." I love him so much it hurts!

"Thank you, my sweet boy," I smile, reaching over to pinch his cheek, causing him to giggle happily, "Stefan if you're just going to sit there and not eat, leave, and when Damon gets back he can have it." Stefan immediately leaves the table, storming up to his room, Giuseppe sighs and cuts into his boar.

Stefan has only gotten worse and finally Giuseppe noticed, mostly because Stefan started having an attitude with him. He seems to mad at the whole world, he's gotten over Giuseppe and I, this is just a child who's filled with nothing but bitterness. And since I'm here he takes his anger and hate out on me and on rare occasion he takes it out Henry, but then again he does that to hurt me and make me upset and the best way to do that is messing with Henry. I look over to see that Henry's nearly finished, all of his long beans are gone and his bowl is almost empty, "well my goodness, my sweet boy, it hasn't even been an hour."

Henry giggles and wipes his face off because he's a neat toddler, and I am so thankful for that, some rugs and carpets show how many muddy feet have walked upon it, "down now, mama?" Giuseppe shakes his head, oh so he's going to start conversation when everyone is nearly done, typical. "Have you forgotten about our rematch, my boy?" Henry shakes his head and his sandy brown curls flop all over the place, it's getting darker so hopefully he has my hair color. "And this time I'm going to win, yes?"

"No, papa, you lose again," he sounds so grown up and his face shows he's completely serious and I can't help but laugh, "I win always." A statement, a challenging statement, a stare down, my god the tension, it's almost unbearable. Henry has my glare, another thing I'm thankful for, he's so menacingly cute looking like he wants to murder you, oh he's doing me proud, he is doing me proud. "Okay, not that this isn't fun but we've all finished our meals and I have no desire to sit at this table while you two dry out your corneas, so get going." They both groan and I roll my eyes, Maybelle and I are the only two adults in this house.

I help Henry out of his chair and hand him his bowl to take to the sink while I take the plates and Giuseppe takes the cups and cutlery. "Giuseppe when you're finished I'd like to have a word with you, in private." He nods and quickly puts the cups on a shelf, I take his hand and lead him to the front porch, "what should I get Damon for his birthday?" He rolls his eyes and gives me a look that I'm very used to, annoyed.

"Do you have any idea how many scenarios I thought of walking out here? My god, Angeline I thought you were going to tell me you're pregnant again," I bite my lip to keep from laughing at him and the annoyed look turns into a glare very quickly, "are you laughing at me, Angeline?" I shake my head, biting my lip to a point were I can taste blood. His arms quickly wrap around my waist and he lifts me up, "I don't believe you." I squeal, wiggling in his grasp and it does little at all.

"You have my word, I was not laughing," he starts walking and I whine, he isn't that much taller than me so things like this are awkward, it's just that he's stronger than me, "dear husband, where are you taking me?" He's taking me to the well, which has become a running joke, "Giuseppe I swear-"

"What? You swear what? On what? To who?" God he's an asshole, but I guess I love him, I guess I always have. He stops right in front of the well and I put my legs out to block any movement he could make, it works for about five seconds as he backs up and my legs hit the ground, "do you swear on my life?" I freeze and tense when he notices as he tries to throw me in the well, but I cling onto the wall and climb out, breaking out in a run towards the lake and he's right on my tail.

We reach the lake and I nearly fall over from exhaustion, I haven't run like that in a long time, Giuseppe crash lands right next to me, taking me down with him. I swat at him until I'm free and run towards the water, I sit down to take off my shoes and then strip down to my decency skirt, corset, and chemise before finally walking into the warm water, "I love how warm this water gets, I can't- Giuseppe!" He laughs and pushes me gently out from the bank, I dunk his head underwater for sweet revenge and then swim away to the dock in the middle of the lake, well on our side at least, a farm owns the majority of the lake except this portion. Pulling myself onto the dock is easy and soon Giuseppe is lying next to me in the sun, he pulls me closer so my head is resting on his chest and kisses the top of my head softly. "You didn't answer my question, what should I get Damon for his birthday? What are you getting him?" He sighs and pushes himself up onto his elbows, forcing me to sit up with him.

"I have no idea what he likes, Angeline, you know this and you just want me to feel bad, well I don't," ooh, defensive Giuseppe is in my top three Giuseppe moods, he just does it so well a girl just can't help but swoon, "Damon and I are never going to have a sit down and just talk, I can live with the fact that he hates me, it's not like I can change it." Oh victim Giuseppe is in my top five, he's just pulling out all the cards right now.

"Why do you say that like it's unwarranted? He's spent his whole life trying to please you and you haven't even tried, but you're right there when he messes up, never missing a chance to belittle and berate him, I swear it's your favorite thing to do. When he left at 13, were you worried?" Giuseppe shakes his head, growing more and more annoyed with this conversation but I don't care, we need to have this conversation. "Why not? He was gone a month."

"He was being dramatic, I knew he'd come back once he was levelheaded," I glare at him and he rolls his eyes, "what do you want me to say, Angeline? I know my son and-"

"Don't you fucking dare, Giuseppe Salvatore, you don't know jack shit about him and you know it! Not knowing what he likes is excusable but don't you dare act like you know what type of person he is." I love these conversations, they always end with us ignoring each other for days which is so much fun, trust me. "What is it about him that makes you incapable of loving him?"

"I love all my kids-"

"Bullshit"

"I do, but Damon is reckless and impulsive, he always has been. He's snarky and can be so rude that-"

"So you don't like him because he's too much like you? Oh I'd think you'd like that with your massive ego, both Damon and Stefan are reckless and impulsive, Stefan told the town I was a prostitute because he knew it'd upset me. They both can be vindictive snakes but that's because they've had such a great example, all of their bad qualities come from you. Stefan turned the whole town against me and Damon's done what?"

"When you told me about Charlotte's pregnancy scare-"

"Oh you absolute ass, I didn't tell you shit! That was a private conversation between Damon and I and you just had to butt in so you could yell at him, he's twenty-two years old, Giuseppe, let him make mistakes and let him grow from them. Now, I was thinking about a knife set, well they're more like daggers than knives, but you get the picture. But then there's the books, since he loves to read, you didn't know that obviously, anyway there's this new book titled _The Young Step-Mother_ and I thought it was quite ironic since he has a-"

"Angeline-"

"Don't interrupt me, Giuseppe, it's very rude. Then there's _Consuelo_ which I've read many times and it never seems to get old, George Sand is just phenomenal, truly, I'm getting back in the water, it's too hot to not be in the water," I push myself off the dock and sign once the water cools my skin, holding onto the edge of the floating wood so I'm still in his eyesight, "maybe I should gift him both, or is that too much? You look annoyed."

"Because I am." And with that he pushes himself into the water and swims to shore, leaving me in the lake, by myself, and to make matters worse, he takes my dress. I am in my underwear, I have to walk back to my house in my underwear because my husband can't take being belittled and berated, funny isn't it? I grumble as I swim ashore, muttering curses under my breath, oh once I get my hands on that man.

"Angeline?" Oh if it was winter I know my sweet Damon would give me his coat to cover up, but it's the middle of hell and he isn't wearing a coat, "you look very angry, and wet." I roll my eyes and close the distance between us, giving him a big hug, mainly to get him wet.

"Your father is a petty child, we had a disagreement and in retaliation he took my dress and shoes, because he's a bloody fucking child!" No, I did not stomp my feet while saying that, I'm an adult, unlike my husband, "he's just so dense and it makes me want to pull my hair out, it's like he's-"

"I assume this disagreement was about me?" He's smirking at me, the little shit, "my goodness, sometimes I wonder how many times a day you say my name when I'm not around. Tell me Angeline, are you obsessed with me? And don't lie." I roll my eyes and shove his shoulder and he nudges me back.

"He has no reason to treat you the way he does and-" he hushes me and hugs me, having grown to be taller than I so his hugs were a lot better, I fuss when we get back to the house as the last thing I want to do is face Giuseppe, but I want my clothes back. Maybelle informs me she's put Henry down for his nap, which I'm so grateful for, he gets so crabby when he's tired. I barge into the study where he always is, usually with company and this time is no different, some Gilbert man, boring features and very much forgettable.

"Angeline I know you're capable of knocking." I ignore Mr. Gilbert's looks, judge me all you want, I truly don't care.

"Where have you put my clothes?" I demand more so than ask and all I get is an innocent look, doe eyes, slow and deliberate blinks, oh fuck off, "Giuseppe Salvatore, do not test me, where are my clothes?" Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I round his desk so I'm standing behind him and he has the right sense of mind to tense up, yeah, you should be on edge, there's a letter opener that's looking very appealing right now. "You are an insufferable, miserable, and hateful old man." I whisper in his ear before storming out of his study and up to our room which for the time being will be my room. I slip on my nightgown since all my house dresses are being washed and I really don't like walking around in my underwear, I grab the brush off the dresser and begin assaulting my hair, not giving a damn whether it hurts or not.

"You're going to rip all of your hair out, stop," I don't and Damon crosses the room and grabs the brush out of my hand, "I said stop, bald would suit you ill." I huff and bite my lip because it's the only thing keeping me from crying. Damon has an infatuation with brushing hair, he loves doing it and he's so gentle, unlike me, "are you crying? Why are you crying?" I rub my face and shake my head silently because I don't know, I have no idea why I'm crying. Damon turns me around and pulls me into a hug and I bury my face in his shoulder, crying like a little child who has had their toy taken away, oh I'm pathetic.

"I want to go to bed, Damon, I want to sleep and I want you to stay with me." He can't and I know it, Giuseppe would murder him, he's already accused me of having an affair with Damon and it did not end well. Threats of violence, threats of divorce, threats of both and the whole house was filled with tension, I wanted to scream until my lungs gave out and the world burned. I would love for the world to burn, I'd take my Damon and my Henry under the tree and we'd live happily ever after with Vale and Nellie.

"You know I can't, get some sleep, I'll keep Henry entertained when he wakes" my sweet Damon, the world does not deserve your kind heart, "and I'll tie Stefan up somewhere." I laugh quietly into his shoulder before sniffling, I pull back and give him a kiss on the cheek and crawl into bed slowly, shifting around until I find the perfect position.

**~~~~~~~~~**

Damon's birthday is just as expected, a fucking battleground. The annual screaming match between Damon and Giuseppe is how we started this day, then Damon spent most of the day with Charlotte the  _true_ harlot, the bitch is just like her mother, and that brings us to now, supper! The awkward silence is unbearable at this point. Giuseppe and Damon have been glaring at each other the whole bloody twenty minutes we've been sat here, excessive isn't even the world to describe it.

"You know what, it's not going to get dark anytime soon, Stefan take Henry outside and you both can get as dirty as your hearts desire," Stefan immediately perks up and he practically drags Henry out of the house, "as for you two, you two are supposed to be grown men, try acting like it. You both will be clearing the table tonight, bitch about all you want, be thankful I haven't thrown you both into the fire." They barely turn their heads to look at me and I scoff, pushing myself away from the table so I can join my boy and the evil incarnation outside.

Seeing the two boys running around always makes me laugh, one of my favorite things is watching Henry observe and learn from what Stefan's doing, he know far more than a toddler should as he's watched his brothers nearly kill themselves all his life. Just last week Henry told me he was going to be a surgeon when he grows up, I didn't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't going to grow up, not for much longer.

"Ball!" Henry screams excitedly, running after the leather object just to kick it again, "ball!" His little legs carrying him as fast as a toddler could possibly run, falling a few times but popping right back up, laughing just as hard as before. He's not going to live to see 10, I can guarantee it, and it hurts so much, I brought this beautiful little boy into this world  _knowing_ he'd be yanked out of it in some brutal way. How am I supposed to live with that? And Giuseppe, I despise him half the time but I don't wish him harm by anyone but me, but I have never gotten what I wanted, ever. And I never will.

"Mama, ball!" I smile and catch the ball when he throws it at me, he charges at my legs and I let out a shriek and run away, clutching the ball to my chest quickly realizing that there's two boys running after me and one is much faster than the other, christ. 

Despite growing up with five brothers, running was never my strong suit but it was a necessity, the amount of times Kol thought it'd be funny to chase me with a dagger is frightening as much as it's amusing. Suddenly my feet leave the ground and I'm thrown over a shoulder, rightfully, I let out a shriek and my captor has the absolute nerve to laugh at me, how bloody dare he!

"That's cheating! How come no one was on my team?" The only response I get is an unanimous shrug, the ball is taken from my hands by Henry, who thought this was the funniest thing he's ever seen. Mommy being physically dominated, get your chuckles in boy, this is a rare occurrence, I assure you that you will not see anything like this on a regular basis, there's no chance in hell. I wiggle my way out of Damon's hold and turn towards Henry who still had the ball but quickly threw it to Stefan once he noticed my gaze, smart boy. 

It looks like Stefan's running for his life, and the little bastard might as well, he's lucky I have nothing to throw at his head, oh so very lucky. I'd take his bloody head off, easily. By the time the four of us are tired it's well past dark and well past Henry's bedtime, Maybelle and Giuseppe are still sat on the porch when we make move to go inside, the both of them amused by our game, I think I even heard Giuseppe laugh. 

"Mama my legs hurt." Henry tells me as I tuck him in, I chuckle softly and kiss his forehead, I know he's going to sleep very well tonight and that is a blessing.

"Because you played so well today, my sweet boy, I love you so much." More than you can imagine.

"I love you too, mama." I know sweet boy, I know.

* * *

 


	5. ♙v♙

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stefan isn't a good vampire from the get, we don't like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had to split this and the previous chapter up because I wasn't even done writing 1864, Katherine wasn't even in the story yet, and it was 8000+ words, like that's too long for a single chapter. 
> 
> The build up for Katherine's arrival is choppy but I've been working on this chapter for nearly a month and I just want it to end so we can move the fuck on. Spent four chapters with the Salvatores and I'm getting sick of them.
> 
> So the ending is shit and straight to the point bc we really need to move onto to earlier times aka we need the Mikaelsons, I miss them, they're the sole reason I'm writing this story.
> 
> ALSO; WE DON'T LIKE STEFAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**1864**

**EARLY AUGUST**

* * *

 

I have to applaud Damon for staying alive this long, I honestly thought Giuseppe was going to kill him for leaving the Confederacy, his face was so red and his breath so erratic I thought he was going to have a heart attack. I had to act like a barrier between the two, Giuseppe was livid and Damon obviously didn't give a shit, typical. Stefan and Henry were very excited to see him, though, which was expected, he had been gone for a year. A year much too long.

Henry had grown into being a mini me with green eyes, his once blond hair was now a dark brown and his smile had a hint of malice, just a hint. He's still as sweet as ever, incredibly polite, he's my little gentleman. Back in May Giuseppe asked me why I made such a big deal about birthdays, specifically Henry's, on his 3rd birthday I had a very expensive toy soldier set shipped from Britain, I told him it was because he was my first-born when truly it's because my baby's made it another year without being brutally killed. But it's another year of panicking, another year of wondering if this was the last hug, the last kiss, the last "I love you" and it's awful because I'm living like everyday is my last day with him and he has no idea, he doesn't know that tomorrow could be it, or five minutes from now, where is he?

Maybelle startles when I abruptly stand up from the couch and turn, "where's my boy, Maybelle?"

"At the lake with Damon, both Damon and I told you this, Angeline. Is everything alright?" No Maybelle, nothing is alright and it never has been, my empty ribcage shakes with anxious tremors.

I nod softly, the tremors didn't stop, they got worse and I slowly begin to fall apart. I got tremors with Nellie and Vale, I found them dead, killed, murdered. The front door swings open and the room is filled with the sound of Damon laughing and Henry giggling, the tremors stop and I let out a shaky breath, I absolutely hate this.

"Mama? What's the matter?" Oh so proper and even more so sincere, my sweet boy drops his towel and hugs my waist, the only thing keeping me from losing it is Damon making weird faces at me, I make a noise and I don't know whether it was a laugh or a sob and Henry hugs me tighter. I wipe my face before lowering myself to his level, mostly to see his green eyes, his green eyes filled of light and joy, happiness.

"Mama made a very selfish decision and she's going to have to deal with the consequences," I had you, you were my selfish decision, I knew you were bound to be murdered in some monstrous way and at some point I'm going to have to carry your limp body to my tree and lay you to rest and knowing that burns me inside, I give him a genuine smile, like I always do, and he smiles back, like he always does, "how about tomorrow we have a picnic in the front yard, just you and I?" We both ignore Damon's objection of being left out and the pout that comes afterwards, a big baby is all he is, truly.

"Will there be long beans?" I laugh and nod, pulling him closer so I can feel his chest rise and fall and the faint beat of his heart, with the promise of long beans he agrees, the boy could never say no to long beans.

**~~~~~~~~~~**

Maybelle and I wake at some unholy hour to prepare for our dinner picnic, by the time we finish everyone else is up so breakfast happens soon after we're done. Henry is practically buzzing in his seat with excitement and the annoyed looks from both Giuseppe and Stefan are not enough to make him stop, not like I wanted him to stop, knowing someone was this excited to spend time with me gave me nothing but joy.

"Henry, can you at least finish your breakfast before giving yourself an aneurysm?" Everyone is almost done and he's barely begun eating, my silly boy.

He quickly finishes his food, practically shoving the food down his throat to a point where even Giuseppe looks concerned, and rightfully so, he's eating like a mad man so fear of him choking was entirely warranted, "I'm finished" is mumbled behind a mouth full of food and he's pushing himself out of his chair and running upstairs to get dressed. 

"That boy is-"

"Careful, husband."

"A character, a bit too much like you in my opinion," he's teasing me and I choose to allow it, letting him wrap his arms around my waist and rest his chin on my head, "far too kind, extremely passive aggressive-" "that's your fault though, not mine, I''m very vocal when displeased," "it is not, I've been told I'm too confrontational multiple times, by you in fact," "too confrontational about things that don't matter, you just want something to shout about and someone to shout at, very immature, really." He huffs and pulls back so he can look at me -oh the infamous Salvatore smirk, I swear it's hereditary- and he cups my face, nothing to say, nothing that needed speaking of, just to look at my beautiful face.

And at that moment, Damon decides to return looking very hungover, peace never lasts for long, "you missed breakfast, if you plead with Maybelle long enough she might spare you a sweet roll, or she may stab you, so off you go and let us know which she does." I wiggle out of Giuseppe's grasp and direct Damon to the kitchen and he groans excessively the whole way over, melodramatic is his middle name if you haven't realized. I'm truly just happy Giuseppe isn't yelling at him, happy and very, very surprised, it's not Giuseppe to miss up an opportunity to yell at Damon, I hope he isn't unwell.

"Irresponsible fool," oh and there it is, in his typical tone he reserves just for Damon, disappointed but not really because he likes seeing Damon fuck up so he can yell at him about it, as if Damon isn't a young adult who's still learning about life, but if he accepts that then he has no reason to yell and he'll be sad. He very much enjoys making Damon feel like he's completely useless, it's oh so obvious. He enjoys belittling people in general, truly. "How is anybody supposed to respect-"

"Giuseppe shut your mouth, you were drunk at our wedding, not hungover, drunk. Don't you dare speak to anyone about respect when if I had let go of your hands at that altar you would have surely fallen over." I snap, rolling my eyes when he glares at me, he always does when I'm right and he isn't.

A few weeks ago Damon told me that Lily had not died of a fever nor of a bad lung, the woman killed herself. She told Damon that she wanted to make Stefan a scarf the same color as his eyes, but women aren't allowed to purchase arsenic so Damon went to the market, bought the poison and gave it to her thinking she was going to dye a newly made scarf green and gift it to his little brother. Turns out, she downed the bottle and two days later she was dead, and apparently Giuseppe and Damon didn't think of having corroborating stories and just said whatever they thought of first. Arsenic does make it look like you have a fever, if they only get red, the other stuff is a bit suspect, the tingles, warts, abnormal heartbeat, all that fancy stuff. However, the big shock was that Giuseppe didn't tell me, I never thought to ask and just took Stefan's word for it, maybe the doctor hadn't seen anything like it before, I don't know. 

I opted not to tell Giuseppe what I've recently learned because he would actually kill Damon, without a bloody doubt, "you are truly beautiful when you're malicious," Giuseppe's technique in calming me down is complimenting me until I'm purring in his lap like a fat cat, absolutely content. I like to let him believe it works to boost his confidence.

"Oh how sweet your words are, I'm truly touched, Giuseppe." He full on laughs, which is something that doesn't happen often and I can't help but laugh with him, with the amount of hate in his soul it's surprising to see him show a little bit of humanity. 

Damon stumbles back in looking not too much better, "alcohol is bad," I stifle a laugh and he frowns at me, "I'm suffering and you're laughing at me, why?" He sounds so miserable and biting my lip isn't really working, he moves into the front room and crash lands onto the couch face first.

"I expect you to be well by dinner, the Gilberts are coming over." Giuseppe tells him and he gets a groan in response, from the both of us, the Gilberts aren't bad people, they're just annoying. I've been living in this town for seven years and haven't cared to learn their first names, mainly because Mrs. Gilbert didn't stop believing I was a prostitute until Giuseppe finally snapped at her, the bitch kept trying to gift me this bible in order to find Christ and her husband did nothing to stop her.

"Henry and I are going to have a picnic for dinner, so we'll be unable to join you," Damon groans louder and mutters something about favoritism and how I don't love him or appreciate him, "Damon I will throw that vase at your head, shut up."

My sweet boy takes this time to barrel down the stairs like a freight train and scream "Damon" before running and jumping onto Damon's back, and I truly can't help the laugh that escapes as I slowly descend to the floor, clutching my chest before tipping over onto my side, still laughing. Henry turns, still on Damon's back, and looks at me with curious eyes, "why are you laughing?"

Damon is either laughing or crying, I can't tell and I don't care either, "get offfffff" is mumbled and Henry frowns, not wanting to leave his brother, so he simply ignored the request and that didn't please Damon at all but he made no move to forcibly remove him, he just wanted something to whine about, as usual with his dramatic self.

"Angeline would you please get off the floor?" I shake head and roll onto my tummy, no I will not get off the floor, I like the floor, it's a nice floor, I whine when Giuseppe reaches down and picks me up as if I weigh nothing and I have no shame in the pout that's currently residing on my face, no shame at all. 

"Mama, how much longer do I have to wait? I really want to go now," Henry whines and finally slips off of Damon to hug my waist and Damon takes that as a chance to roll over and give a half-hearted glare to Henry who giggles in return, "I want to go now!" His attention turns back to me and he's tugging on the skirt of my dress, rocking on his feet, still whining. I roll my eyes and bend down to his level, mostly so I can pinch his cheeks, but mainly to have direct eye contact, he huffs and gives me his best rendition of "puppy dog eyes" and continues tugging at my dress, such a silly little boy.

"Soon, your father told me you beat him in marbles again, he wants a rematch," Henry's face lights up and he looks up at Giuseppe with a wide smile, "I believe you're going to win, like always." Giuseppe frowns down at me and nudges me gently with his foot to protest my statement, even though it's a very true statement, he's just a baby with an ego.

Henry grabs his hand and practically rips his arm off to pull Giuseppe into his study, "I want the blue one with the swirl, papa." Giuseppe chuckles and whispers something I can't hear, I stand and finally notice Damon's stare, it's calculating and bordering on just plain judgmental, I huff and raise an eyebrow and then the gaze is very much judgmental.

"You have a bruise on your wrist, why?" I look down at my wrists and sure enough there's a dark bruise on my left wrist, I frown and shrug and it's clear he doesn't like that answer, "Angeline, why do you have a bruise on your wrist?" His words are angry, despite his soft tone and it appears he's no longer hungover or at least feel well enough to chastise me about something that truly isn't important. 

"It's not because of what you're thinking, I truly don't know where it came from, it looks new so I guess I hit it against something while preparing for the picnic. You know I'd tell you if something was wrong, you'd be the first person I would go to." He nods and leans back against the couch, closing his eyes and running a hand threw his hair, I like his hair, it's soft and it makes me happy.

"Where's Stefan?" 

"Hell if I care."

He laughs, rubbing his face before standing up, "he's like some cave creature, if the sun's out it's guaranteed you won't be seeing him, he's 17 and has more wrinkles than father," I snort and hit his shoulder lightly and he chuckles, "he hasn't even been outside, I don't think, is that safe?"

"Damon, you spent 17 lying in your room reading books that will definitely become classics, so you have very little room to talk."

"I read books outside too, don't sell me short, I spent many days outside reading in garden with you and just as many days messing around with Stefan."

"Do you need something from me, or are you two just obsessed with me and everything I do?" Stefan's voice cuts in as he rounds the corner into the corridor and I can't help but roll my eyes at him, he's truly the absolute worst and I dislike everything about him, "because it seems like I'm the main topic of your conversation and-"

"Stefan, please, you will never be that important," he turns to glare at me and I cross my arms, giving him a very fake smile, "if you were not my stepson I would have gotten rid of you years ago, you are such an infuriating person and it hurts my-"

"Don't say heart because we all know you don't have one." It's my turn to glare at him and Damon sighs and rolls his eyes at our childishness.

"You two are so mature, really, I'm impressed." Stefan gives him the infamous Salvatore smirk and turns into the dining room, taking an apple out of the fruit bowl that sat on the dark oak table, my attention shifts when I hear the soft sound of Henry's steps.

"I won again!" His face is nearly splitting in half with how big his smile is, Damon laughs and easily picks him up, "papa says he let me win, but I know he's lying, I'm just better at marbles than him." He shrugs and reaches out for me and damn he's heavy, who allowed him to grow and gain? Surely not I, I objected actually but no one seemed to listen to me and apparently there's nothing you can do to stop one from aging. He wraps his arms around my neck and buries his face into my shoulder, I feel him relax even further and I smile, hopefully he's tired enough to take a nap after our picnic. "I want picnic now, please."

I laugh and kiss the top of his head, "soon my sweet boy, I promise, how about you help me set up now and when it's time we can carry the basket over, would you like to do that?" He nods and wiggles out my arms and takes my hand instinctively and I lead him to the kitchen and point to the old blanket we'd be using and he eagerly takes it, struggling at some points to carry it as the blanket was almost as tall as him wrapped up and I have to help him when we reach the porch steps, much to his displeasure, he's a big boy and he can do everything by himself. Not. 

We walk out into the front yard until we're a good distance from the house but not too far, I unfold the blanket and shake the dust from it and lay it flat along the grass, Henry goes around the corners and places weights on them so the blanket won't fly away. He suddenly plops down on the blanket and giggles, oh god, "I wanna stay here, mama." I bite back my groan and nod, okay we can stay, that's fine.

He pushes himself up and runs back to the front porch to collect his ball and quickly returns to me, launching the round object at my face, I catch it and he frowns, "you wanted me to get hit in the face, aye?" He nods and squeals when I toss the ball and it bounces off his head, I smile as he charges my legs and the little monster is too damn strong and I fall back onto the blanket with a laugh, soon after I feel the ball hitting my cheek and then hear the lovely sounds of his giggles. 

"Remember when I was little you used to make me fly?" The ball discarded as he grabs my hands and I stick my tongue out at him as I use my feet to lift his legs off the ground, he giggles and holds onto my hands tighter and smiles down at me, "when I was little you only had to use your legs, but now I'm a big boy so you also have to use your hands." His accent makes his voice sound so soft, calmer, Giuseppe told me that Damon used to talk like Henry when he was little, sans accent but still so soft and light, happy. And then he realized his father didn't give a shit about him half the time and his voice was no longer light, how are you supposed to fight harsh with soft? You can't. He couldn't. So he didn't, he changed it all.

Henry bites my hand and glares at me, "you're not paying attention to me." I apologize and let him down so I can hold him, my sweetest boy. I'm glad Giuseppe is kind to him, I would kill him if he was ever anything but. He frowns and swats at my face and I let out a surprised squeak, he's never hit me before, "pay attention to me, mama." He pushes away from me to pick up the ball and this time he passes it to me gently and I pass it back, we continue this game for about an hour before he flops back down and glares at me, "picnic now, mama." It was a demand, a demand I listen to as I sit up and take his hand, he drags me back to the house in his excitement and my arm begins to hurt. 

Inside Maybelle was just finishing off the soup and she pours it into a teapot, as it was the safest way to carry the soup without it spilling over on all of the other food items, I have to keep pulling Henry's hands away from the green beans because the greedy little boy just can't seem to wait, "the bread, steak, and pudding are already in the basket, along with fruit." I demanded that the 'miss' be dropped, as she was my friend more than she was a servant, I nod and hand Henry the basket off the counter, "be careful with that, young man," Henry nods and holds the basket still while I take the teapot of soup and two bowls and Maybelle offers to take the remaining silverware required, Henry holds the basket with both hands and waddles out the door and over to the blanket, it's quite adorable. 

"Picnic!" He cheers once everything has been set, I smile and pour him a generous amount of cheese soup and cut a less generous piece of steak before doing the same for myself, he happily begins eating when a carriage appears at the end of our dirt road and I internally groan once I recognize the Gilbert's driver, I'm so pleased I don't have to acknowledge them. Henry tilts his head briefly before going back to his soup, "how come that lady always makes weird faces at you?" He asks when Mrs. Gilbert exits the carriage, I shrug and push his steak closer to him and he frowns, pushing it back towards me, "I'm not done with my soup, mama."

I can only imagine what tactics Damon and Stefan are using to get out of this dinner, the last time one of the founding members came over for a meal they both pretended to be ill and refused to move from where they laid on Damon's bedroom floor, groaning and whining like a dying horse, it was quite funny seeing Giuseppe's face turn that lovely shade of red. And this was only three months ago and Mayor Lockwood was not impressed in the slightest when the only people in attendance were Giuseppe and his hot-head, loudmouth wife and his angelic little boy who was none too angelic, Nancy found it a bit funny when Henry tried to engage in the grown-up talk, amazed that he actually knew what he was talking about when he discussed politics, my smart boy.

Once Henry moves onto his steak I notice Damon creeping from around the house, obviously coming from the back garden, he smirks at us and quickly makes his way over and Henry squawks, throwing a strawberry at him once he's close enough and it bounces off his nose, "you were not invited!" Damon laughs and gets a blueberry thrown at him and it hits him in the eye causing me to choke on my steak. "Mama, make him leave!" Both of them turn to look at me and I whine, if it was Stefan I would've thrown a knife at him, but I like Damon, so Damon can stay.

"Henry I promise he won't eat anything that isn't throw at his head, okay?" Damon pouts and Henry punches him in the face, with every fiber of his being, and Damon glowers at him, holding his cheek. "Henry that wasn't nice, apologize," he shakes his head and stuffs half his steak into his mouth, "now Henry." He whines and loosely hugs Damon's side, Damon rolls his eyes and ruffles his hair up.

"I don't even think Stefan's hit me that hard, by the way, can you protect me from Stefan? I told him I'd be eating with him and the Gilberts and I might have snuck out the back door." Of course he did.

Henry finishes his steak and takes the pudding out of the basket, "all my pudding." Now wait a damn minute, I cross my arms and raise a brow, no child, not all your pudding. "Yes mama, you can have the fruit, this is mine." Damon slowly takes the pudding out of his grasp and hands it over to me, not having enough time to protect himself when Henry comes at him with his fork, wildly swinging the object and he looks to me for help and I shrug, let me eat my pudding first, then I'll intervene.

"Go away!" Damon quickly pushes Henry away and moves to hide behind me, Henry charges at him and Damon takes off running, Henry right behind him with the fork still in his hand and I make no move to help and continue eating the pudding. I of course left Henry some, but there's just something about seeing him chase Damon down for his obvious betrayal, I'd do the same thing really, don't hinder my chances at eating pudding if you want to live.

**~~~~~**

My rest is interrupted when Henry and Damon come barreling back into the front yard, Henry landing on my stomach was definitely not my favorite thing, at all.

"You two have been running around for over an hour, please calm down," they both lay down on the blanket breathing harshly and all is well, the Gilberts leave and everything is peaceful, then Stefan yells out Damon's name and Damon is running again, this time from someone who is much faster than Henry.

"Who's that, mama?" Henry's pointing behind me and I turn to see another carriage coming down our road, I wasn't told of any other guests besides the Gilberts, "mama, who is that?"

"I'm not sure, Henry, let's go find out," I pick him up and carry him over to the porch where Giuseppe was standing, funny how he's the only one that doesn't seem to be confused, "Giuseppe, most wives like to be notified when guests are coming over." He has the good sense to look a bit ashamed, but it's short-lived and the carriage comes to a stop in front of us and the devil walks out, her witchy handmaid helping her exit the carriage, Katerina Petrova, enemy #3.

"Angeline, Henry, this is Katherine Pierce, her family was killed in the burning of Atlanta and she will be staying with us for the time being," I bit my lip and give Henry's hand a squeeze to stop me from gutting the both of them right then and there, "along with her handmaid, Emily Bennett." Bloody fucking Bennett witches, their very existence makes my blood boil.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Katherine holds her hand out to me and after a beat, I take it, "I'm truly sorry for imposing in your home." Oh shut up, you bleeding wench.

I decide that she needs to know I know who the hell she is, "pardon me but I wasn't paying attention at all, is it Katherine or Katerina?" And the way her face falls momentarily is all worth it, she quickly corrects me and I don't try to hide my glare, Giuseppe can't see me and Emily would be a fool to open her mouth and Katerina would be dead before she even got the chance to open her mouth. From this moment on I hold immense power over the two of them, and it feels great.

"Where are Damon and Stefan?" Giuseppe asks me and I shrug, Damon probably got tired and Stefan is beating the hell out of him somewhere, nothing that's my business, "I would like for them to meet her." Well then go off and look for them yourself, I don't trust this bitch. 

Stefan comes up from Giuseppe, "father can you yell at Damon for- who's this?" I stifle a laugh, his undivided attention was on 'Katherine' and it was clear the boy has already begin to fancy her, she is pretty, as pretty as a knock-off can be, bottomline is she isn't ugly.

"This is Katherine Pierce, she'll be staying with us, now where is your brother?" Stefan ignores him completely but does flash him an innocent grin, why are they like this? They both are little Giuseppes, well Damon isn't but he can be when he wants to, and Stefan's an asshole. 

Giuseppe guides the two newcomers into the house, giving them both a brief tour while I go put Henry down for his nap that for once he actually wants to take. I back out of his room and turn right into Damon, a shirtless Damon, a shirtless Damon with a very nice v-line and god Ainsley you picked the wrong Salvatore, "are you just going to stare at me or are you going to help me?" Help with what? Oh his nose is bleeding and he wisely -sarcasm- used his white shirt to contain the blood, such an intelligent man.

"You got your ass kicked today," he nods and follows me into the washroom, "give me your face." He laughs and drops his shirt, his nose isn't broken, it's bruised badly though, I run cold water over a washrag and hold it up against his nose, "we have a new house member, her name is Katherine, I don't like her." He rolls his eyes, because it was expected, I don't know how to get along with women and I don't want to know.

"Is she pretty?" I don't get a chance to answer as Giuseppe clears his throat, neither one of us jumps, Giuseppe hates it when I'm alone with Damon, mainly because he just doesn't like Damon and partially because he thinks I'm going to cheat on him with Damon, so all in all we've learned that Giuseppe is an insecure prick who can't let of his ego.

"I intended for all of use to meet her at once, hurry up."

"If you wanted that you should've told us she was coming," I don't yell, there's no real reason to, but I also make it very clear that I'm upset with him, "how can you expect us to all be tip top, orderly little duckies? The girl's come all the way from Georgia, she can wait." You're lucky I didn't kill the harlot just out of pure instinct, that face is nothing but trouble. Oh I pity the poor girl who has to wear that face next.

Damon pulls his head back slightly, "it stopped." Nodding, I take a step back and turn towards Giuseppe, the asshole has the nerve to look annoyed.

"There, now are there any other demands that need to be met, your highness?" He narrows his eyes at me before stomping off like a child, I truly fucked myself over marrying Giuseppe, oh well, there's nothing I can do about it now.

Once Damon meets Katherine it's clear we're going to have some issues, Damon looked like he wanted to devour her and Stefan looked like he was ready to propose right then and there, there are a lot of things we aren't going to do and this is one of them. My boys will not be played like some fiddles by this bitch, nor will my husband and nor will Maybelle, we are not going to do this, this is how people die.

Luckily I know better, I can see right past her little orphan schtick, the doe eyes won't and never will work, I invented the doe eyes so she can just forget that tactic and just do it the old-fashion way, by spreading her legs. Tatia did it, Katherine's going to and the next bitch after her no doubt will too, it's hereditary.

"So Katherine, what did your father do before the war?" I pretend to be interested, sitting on the piano bench across from her, time to show off your acting skills Katerina.

"My father was a banker, and yours?" Challenging me in my home, bold move, not wise, but bold.

"My father is a blacksmith, a very very good one, I gifted Damon a set of daggers he made," Damon perks up at the mention of his name like a little puppy, "though he didn't know it until now." I despise my father, it pains me to praise him for anything but I can't take away his skill when it came to weaponry, in both crafting and wielding the tools. 

"If your father made those good is the understatement of the century, no wonder you're so good at swordsmanship, you've had such great weapons at your disposal." I shrug, when I demonstrated how to use the daggers in hand-to-hand situations Damon looked scared to absolute death, it's one of many talents, I can't help it. "You don't get to shrug, Angeline, I feared for my life in those brief seconds."

I laugh and flash him a devious grin, "well a girl's got to survive, Damon," I turn so I can glare at Katherine out of the corner of my eye and no one else but her could see, "by any means necessary." Directed completely at her, murderous snake, batting her eyes and telling her sob story, she's so transparent to me it's almost pathetic.

* * *

 

**6 WEEKS LATER**

**LATE SEPTEMBER**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

I stand in the archway of the Lockwood Manor anxiously fiddling with my hands and gnawing on my lip, it was all an act, Katherine has gone as far as getting Damon off vervain and compelling him to hate me, the bitch needs to be put down, and I know just the way to do it.

"Mrs. Salvatore what a lovely surprise, haven't seen you since your boys contracted this mysterious illness and couldn't join us for supper." Benjamin smiles and takes my hand, leading us to his study. There's not much that differs it from Giuseppe's, bookshelves, desk, chairs and my personal favorite, a tray of liquor.

"Yes, well they do have weak immune systems when it comes to fake illnesses, quite tragic actually." He laughs, Ben always laughs, he's a very fun man to be around, most werewolves are unless they've activated the curse, which Ben hasn't and most likely won't.

"You seem troubled, what has you so bothered?" Genuine concern, rarely get that anymore.

I immediately tense up and turn my gaze to the floor, inspecting the carpet, deflecting. This peaks his interest and he crosses the room so he's standing in front of me, "look at me, child," he tilts my chin up locks his gaze with mine, "and tell me what has happened." I take a step closer and rest my head on his shoulder, shaking ever so slightly, Ben is a good man, valiantly protects those dear to him, friends and family. "Has he hit you?" This isn't the first time he's asked whether Giuseppe was abusing me, he's known the man for over 25 years and he's seen what he did to Lily, how he treated her and how he treats Damon and you can't blame him for assuming. I shake my head, Giuseppe's only ever told me he wants to hit me, he's been smart enough to never make move to do so.

"I think Katherine is a vampire." He pulls away and looks down at me in shock, yes sweet orphan Katherine is a blood-sucking demon, burn her alive please and thanks.

"Angeline how could you be so sure?"

"They all have bite marks on their necks and wrists and no recollection of how they occurred, she's been sleeping with Giuseppe, Damon, AND Stefan and-"

"I will talk to the council about it, hopefully we can leave Giuseppe out of it and come up with a plan, do you have any vervain left?" I nod and he sighs, his shoulders sulking in what seemed to be defeat, but I know it isn't because the man doesn't know how to give up, "I will ride with you back home, this town is truly no longer safe." It will be soon.

**~~~~~~~~~**

This night did not go as planned at all, yes Katherine was exposed and dragged out of the house to be killed, but the boys went after her and Giuseppe went after them and so far only Giuseppe has returned and no one is telling me anything so I'm assuming both boys are dead.

"Night mama." I smile and press a kiss to his forehead, pulling the covers over his small body.

"Good night, my sweet boy, mama loves you." He returns the saying and I exit the room and enter mine, expecting to find Giuseppe getting ready for bed, but he isn't in there. I shrug and replace my house dress with my nightgown, taking my hair out of my braid and brushing it into soft waves and I'm hit with a wave of tremors causing me to drop my hairbrush. Something is very very wrong.

I slowly step out into the hallway and take the two short swords out of the vase that was filled with vervain water and tip towards the stairs, "Giuseppe?" No answer, this is truly the end, I squeeze my eyes closed and make my way down the stairs, "Giuseppe?" I'm not ashamed in the way my voice cracks and I turn in the direction of his study.

I have to stop myself from screaming when I round the corner, lying in the space between his desk and the small sitting area is my husband, blood covering his neck and seeping into the carpet. Though I avoid screaming I can't help the sob that leaves my lips and I drop the the floor, crawling towards his body. "No no no no, Giuseppe please, please don't leave me," my chest is on fire and I can barely breathe, "I don't want it to end, please." I lower my head and rest it on his chest, completely soaking his shirt with my tears.

After what felt like hours I rise to my feet, there's a vampire in my house and they have already killed my husband and I know Henry and myself are next, fighting is hopeless but I refuse to die without some type of struggle. I hold the two swords in my hands and I feel a shift in the room, I sniffle and quickly turn around, launching one of the swords at my opponent, the blade embeds itself in their shoulder and they hiss in pain. My plan of attack quickly dissipates when I realize who the vampire is.

"Stefan?" It's a whisper just like all those years ago when everything went wrong between us, he slowly pulls the sword out of his shoulder and growls, all of his emotions are heightened, which means his hatred for me has magnified into something sinister. He lunges at me and I slice his cheek, sidestepping him with a scream, he continues his attack and I'm forced to block and dodge his attempts on my life.

"Stefan please," he makes move to bite me and I stab him in the neck which only seems to anger him as he vamp speeds over to me and throws me into the wall , giving me no time to recover before he slamming me back first into the wall and then he abruptly stops and loosens his grip.

"Mama?" He smirks at me and I feel the oxygen leave my body, "mama why is there loud noises?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart, go back to bed." He doesn't and I hear his soft footsteps down the stairs and around the corner, I dig my nails into Stefan's forearm in attempt to stall him but it doesn't work, nothing is working. He's gone before I can stop him and I round the corner just in time for hearing the heartbreaking shriek Henry makes as Stefan bites into his neck, I don't even realize I'm screaming until he pushes me up against the wall.

"For seven years all I wanted to do was see you fall apart," I don't stop him from biting into my neck, I barely feel the pain as everything is numb and when my eyes start to droop and I can't stand straight I don't panic.

My vision fades to black and it's over. 

**~~~~~~**

Waking up was not ideal and I quickly pick Henry's body up and run to my tree, there I immediately collapse into Vale's arms and he holds me as I clutch my sweet boy to my chest.

Once again, I lost everything.

* * *

 

 

 


	6. ⥼vi⥽

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some flashbacks and Ainsley and Kol's early childhood, mayhem ensues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of Norwegian in the beginning of the chapter, translations will be at the end.
> 
> I GOT QUESTIONS!!!!!!! WHY WAS THERE THIS GIANT (not giant but ykwim) POPULATION OF WHITE PEOPLE IN AMERICA? AND ANSEL (Esther's baby daddy) IS PORTRAYED AS "AMERICAN" BUT HE'S WHITEEEEEE! THERE WERE NO MF WHITE PEOPLE IN AMERICA AT THAT TIME! WHERE TF ARE MY NATIVE PEOPLE? SHOULDN'T KLAUS BE HALF-NATIVE? I W A N T A N S W E R S ! ! !

 

**NORWAY**

**977**

**DEAD OF WINTER**

* * *

 

_Esther's grip on her two eldest hands was almost like a vice, the small babe wrapped in furs and resting his head on his mothers chest, if Finn asked her where they were going one more time she was going to cry, she already was crying._

_Seeing Dahlia was painful, seeing Freya's curiosity spike was twice as painful, "mamma, hvem er hun?" Finn asks with a soft voice, accompanied with a point of the finger at his aunt, he turns to his elder sister for answers but Freya just shrugs, "jeg vet ikke." I don't know, well that isn't helpful and Finn pouts, tugging on his mother's dress only to be ignored, she was talking to the strange lady now._

_"Søster takk, det trenger ikke å være slik," Esther begs and Dahlia shakes her head, it did have to be like this, they had made a deal._

_"Du unngikk meg så, lenge søster," Dahlia takes several steps forward until she's standing right in front of Esther, the younger witch takes a step back pulling her children with her, she truly was foolish to think she could avoid Dahlia forever, "du var enig i førstefødte, gi meg din første født." Esther did agree to giving up her firstborn, but she thought she could avoid her sister and eventually run once Mikael got back from war, yet here is her sister, ready for her to pay her debt._

_Esther takes a deep breath and lets go of Freya's hand, "jeg er så lei meg, min søte jente." Freya looks up at her mother in confusion when Dahlia grabs her quite roughly and the young girl cries out, "mamma? Mamma, vær så snill!" Her screams are nothing short of heart wrenching and Esther can't stand it, especially when Finn starts crying, trying to break out of his mother's hold to save his sister._

_"Vennligst ikke la henne ta meg, mamma!" Freya doesn't stop screaming, begging for her mother, and Finn doesn't stop crying, even after she leaves his view, their view, their lives._

_Little baby Elijah lifts his head and looks up at his mother with his doe eyes, a blatant look of confusion on the face of the newly turned one-year-old, the look only solidifies once Esther picks up Finn and rests him on her hip, the toddler mumbling complete nonsense with wet eyes and a runny nose._

_With a sniffle Esther turns and begins the trek back to their village, wondering what she was going to tell her husband._

* * *

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**982**

**EARLY APRIL**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

_Esther can't help but smile when Niklaus toddles up to her and places his chubby little hands on her belly, "baby!" The three-year-old giggles and rests his head on the forming bump, enjoying immensely that he can use his little siblings as a pillow once he tires, which is never, but it's the thought that counts. Esther's been on edge since the realization that she was pregnant, Ayana said someone would pay the price, she just hopes that it won't be any of her children but she has an awful feeling that it will be._

_"Mamma, Ayana er her," Elijah still had big doe eyes, they haven't changed at all over the past five years, still round and curious and innocent, he's pointing to the witch, Ayana who stands in the middle of their camp by the fire talking to Finn who looks very uninterested, Esther smiles and rises to greet her friend._

_"Ayana, it's so good to see you," Finn uses her presence as a means to escape and takes Elijah and Niklaus with him, holding onto the littlest one's hand and guides his younger siblings off somewhere to play, "the twins are doing well and-"_

_"Do not try to distract me, girl, my words is final so pay attention," Ayana gives Esther a once over and stops at her stomach, "the first born twin shall bear the weight of your lies, they will know nothing but misery and trauma." Esther sucks in a breath and nods, the last thing she wants is any of her children be punished for something they had no part in, but she has no choice._

**EARLY NOVEMBER**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

_Never had Esther felt such pain, all of the other child births had been so quick and easy, never was she in agony. Ayana is kneeling at the end of the bed, ready to clean the babies off and hand them to Esther to be fed. "Why does it hurt so much?" Esther asks Ayana with her face scrunched up and Ayana only gives her a knowing look, of course it's the curse, what else would it truly be? Esther groans and falls back onto the bed, praying that it will all be over soon._

_But why should Esther get what she wants? After 19 hours in labor the first child is born, her little girl, her little Ainsley. The infant immediately starts to scream in distress when she's placed in Esther's arms, "why-" Ayana gives her another knowing look, already does her daughter hate her and she was about to voice her disdain towards the situation when she notices something very very wrong with her baby, Ainsley's nose and ears are bleeding and she only screams louder, "Ayana what have you done to her?" Ayana ignores the question and quickly takes Ainsley out of Esther's arms and the bleeding stops like it never started in the first place._

_Esther glares at her with tears in her eyes, she never understood why her child would be the one to take the punishment and not her, "will I never be able to touch her?" Ayana's face tells her that the witch didn't intend for this to happen, but it has and it's her fault._

_"Breathe, my child, I will find a way to fix this." Esther lets out a shaky breath a nods, she has absolutely no faith in Ayana, you can't change curses once it's been placed, you can get rid of one but there's no way to alter it. Ayana places Ainsley in her crib before turning back to Esther who has tears rolling down her cheeks and is trying to stifle sobs but is failing hopelessly._

_"Hand me my son when he comes and leave, I will never get touch my own child because of your mistake!" Esther thanks god that Mikael was on a hunting trip or he'd probably beat her to death for giving birth to such a demonic child, he'd kill them both in an instant._

_Kol comes quick and easy and he's sleeping soundly in her arms while Esther stares at the crib containing her daughter, her big brown eyes that could easily be mistaken for black held no look of curiosity like her twin did, no aura of innocence, her newborn eyes were aged, hard and angry, she's glaring at Esther, without a doubt._

_Ainsley blinks slowly and her eyes begin to lighten and she coos, her small toes wiggling and Esther tilts her head in confusion, said confusion fades quickly however when Kol starts cooing back to his sister. Soon the only noise in the room was their soft coos and Esther can't help the smile that appears on her face, Ainsley may not have her mother but at least she has a brother who already seems to be entirely devoted to her. Hopefully this means her life won't be as miserable as Ayana says, hopefully._

_**~~~~~~~** _

_Mikael and the boys return the next day and all are eager to meet the new additions to the family, "why are they little?" Niklaus asks, a genuine pout on his face and Finn briefly explains that their new siblings will be little for quite some time, which only seems to upset the boy more, "but I want to play with them."_

_"When they get older, Niklaus, I promise you'll get to play with them." Esther tells him and that seems to satisfy him as quickly loses interest in the twins and moves away from the cribs, Finn moves over to Ainsley's crib and she stares up at him with such ferocity that it was hard to believe she is only a day old, "why does she look so angry, mother?" Finn questions and Esther has about had it with all the questions._

_"Maybe she doesn't like being stared at," Finn looks to his father to find him smiling, odd, very odd, "or maybe she wants to eat you, who knows." Finn laughs while Klaus looks horrified and Elijah explains that father is joking and Klaus relaxes._

_"May I hold her, mother?"_

_"You do realizes you also have a new brother, right?"_

_"But we've never had a sister," Elijah counters, finally speaking, "so it's different, I'd trade Finn for another sister." Finn narrows his eyes at his younger brother but voices no rebuttal and switches his attention back to his baby sister, who was still glowering at him._

_Ainsley finally averts her gaze when Kol starts fussing and begins fussing with him, Kol stops when Esther picks him up gently and rests him on her shoulder, "my poor boy, nobody is giving you an ounce of attention." Ainsley turns her head to look Esther dead in the eyes and her eyes harden once again and she's obviously glaring at her._

_"She seems to only like her twin," Mikael observes and pushes himself off the wall to pick Ainsley up out of her crib and her brown eyes soften and she coos lovingly at the man and a smile breaks out across his face "and me."_

_A sentiment that won't last for much longer._

**~~~**

_Esther paces nervously by the fire, all five children already asleep, Mikael sits on a log in front of her, visibly agitated._

_"And you didn't think that this should have been the first thing you told me? That our daughter is cursed?" Esther flinches and avoids looking at him, "would you at least look at me?" He pushes himself off the log and strides towards his wife, quickly grabbing onto her wrist._

_"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for this to happen and I-" Esther cuts herself off and begins sobbing, Mikael sighs and pulls her into his arms "I can't even touch her, Ayana handed her to me and as soon as I touched her she started screaming and there was blood coming out of her ears and I thought she was dying but once Ayana took her back she immediately stopped."_

_"We will deal with it, no child of mine is to cursed."_

_Unfortunately, it isn't up to Mikael._

* * *

 

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**989**

**MAY**

**6YO**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

If there's one thing Finn has come to learn over the years that he knows is an absolute fact, it's the fact that Ainsley is far too good at everything for her own good. She also knows far too much in the sense that she knows everything about their mother's affair and about the actual circumstances of Freya's "death". So having her, at six years of age, be able to move with a sword that damn near outweighed her, with such an unearthly amount of grace is terrifying, both her and Kol are like little vikings, they know how to kill and they fight to kill.

"Alright, I yield!" Elijah slowly falls to the ground in exhaustion, his sword still in his hand breathing heavily while Kol smiles down at him, the child didn't seem to be as hard of breath as his older brother.

"I win again, that's three times in a row Finn, I think I deserve sweet bread," Finn rolls his eyes but nods anyways, saying "no" to the twins was insanely difficult, "you said you were going to teach me how to shoot with a bow and arrow, why haven't you?" Because Finn wants to keep the casualties to a minimum, Finn was going to create an excuse but Ainsley appears out of nowhere with his bow.

"Teach us now, please," Never did they ask for things, they would say what they wanted and then they would take it, you'd have no say in the matter, "killing birds with stones is turning out to be no fun, it's far too easy." Finn sighs and grabs his bow out of her hands, praying that they'd be as good at this as they are with everything else so no one loses an eye, Finn likes his eyes.

"Pay close attention, Kol, mother would skin me if we returned home and you had an arrow in your foot," the twins giggle and Elijah looks like he's contemplating whether or not to just stab Kol with an arrow, "Ainsley you can practice with my sword if you'd like." That gets the girl to perk up, she didn't have a sword of her own, their father would never allow it, so she has to use her brothers' swords.

"How come we always train here? Why not closer to home?" Ainsley asks, twirling the blade in her hand, Finn ignores her so she turns to Elijah, "'lijah, why do we train here?"

"So we aren't distracted by mother and father." Is Elijah's answer, Ainsley knows he's lying but decides to go along with it anyway, her brothers always lie to her and she truly doesn't understand why. She was very good at keeping secrets and at knowing when and when not to bring up certain subjects, she isn't stupid, far from it.

Finn finishes setting up the targets for Kol and tells him to shoot, he does and it hits the very center of the target, "oh I'm shocked, is there something you aren't good at Kol?"

"Behaving." Elijah's response is immediate and met with laughter as it was true, the twins were known for being little hellions and for often than not they were being scolded for doing something dastardly and devilish.

Kol fires the rest of the set and they all hit the center, "I'm going again." Finn nods and pulls the arrows out of the target, throwing them back at his brother before turning his attention to Ainsley who is completely in her own world where she's in the midst of battle and slaying everything in sight, very much a little viking. Mercy is just not in their nature, their barbaric and twisted nature. 

Though neither twin wants to stop, the sun is setting, which means the day is done and fun time is over. Not. Finn removes the target from the tree, not realizing that his younger brother was stalking his movements with his bow still in hand, one day their siblings will learn to never think they're safe, especially if they turn their back. Finally Finn moves into a position where he wouldn't get hurt if he continued walking in that direction, so Kol fires the arrow, bullseye. Again. But did you honestly expect anything different?

"Kol!" Finn drops the target and grabs his bow out of Kol's hands, he's agitated, which is a bonus because you'd move a mountain before you'd truly get Finn angry, such a rare but pleasant sight. Ainsley giggles and goes back to ravaging her imaginary battlefield, just when she's about to off the tyrant king a hand roughly grabs the sword out of her hand and pushes her to the ground, she cries out and Finn immediately is pointing his bow at her attacker. 

He doesn't loosen his stance once her realizes it was their father, if anything that put him more on edge, Mikael is a very dangerous man when he's in a good mood, and at the moment he did not appear to be in one of his rare good moods.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Mikael stands over her dauntingly, glowering down at her as if she was some sort of disease, "this is not something you should even be touching!" Ainsley rubs her wrists and stays silent, this she doesn't understand, why wasn't she allowed to handle a blade?

"But father-" she doesn't get to finish her sentence before he strikes her face, Mikael has never hit her before and it never came across her that he might, and for the first time since she was an infant, Ainsley cries. Finn moves forward, bow still aimed at Mikael's throat with every intent to fire if necessary, he hasn't seen Ainsley cry once with actual tears in her six years of life, not once, but there she is, sitting on the ground sobbing.

"Elijah grab her, please," Finn's voice is calm and his eyes hard and unforgiving and Elijah picks her up, warily looking up at their father who was staring Finn down, as if it was going to intimidate his eldest son, "take a step forward and mother will be a widow." A simple threat that was more of a promise than anything.

Mikael lets out a sharp laugh, "the nerve you have, boy, am I supposed to be frightened? To believe you would dare kill me?" His voice is all kinds of condescending but it doesn't bother Finn, he can handle being mocked, "well go on, shoot me!" Finn adjusts his aim just a bit so the arrow will embed itself in the base of his neck and fires, taking great pleasure in seeing their father crumble to the ground in pain.

"Next time you tell me to shoot you, I will make sure it's fatal." Finn takes Ainsley out of Elijah's arms and lifts her up effortlessly, the poor thing is still crying. The walk back home is has Elijah looking over his shoulder every other minute and Ainsley playing with the collar of Finn's shirt, quietly sniffling into the crook of his neck.

Little Rebekah is sat on a log wrapped up in a towel whilst Esther combs her hair, "where's your father?" Finn ignores her in favor of getting the twins ready for bed, truly in no mood to speak to either of his parents.

"Kol put your night clothes on, okay?" Kol nods and Finn sits on the ground, rubbing Ainsley's back at a slow pace, "can you also take her braid down?" Kol nods once again and moves to undo her braid but abruptly stops, looking at Finn with wide eyes.

"It's happening again." Meaning that Ainsley's veins are turning a certain grey color and blood is pouring out of her eyes and nose, it wasn't a rare occurrence at all yet it was still terrifying, "how come it never happens to me?" Finn shrugs, it's always been Ainsley and there hasn't been any indication that whatever it actually was affected Kol at all but the twins seem to have this mental connection and sometimes when Ainsley sees a "monster" Kol sees it too, briefly.

Ainsley moves from the crook of Finn's neck and looks him dead in the eyes, brown to blue-based hazel, "I don't like father anymore, Finn, and he doesn't like me either." Finn flashes her a grim smile and runs his hand through her hair, she truly is a sight to be seen, her chubby cheeks covered in dried blood tears and her veins slowly turning back to their normal color, it was going to be a very long night. Not with the twins though, Ainsley is already half asleep and Kol is more than half asleep, their father is going to be an issue, as always.

Once both twins are asleep and Ainsley's face is clean, Finn decides it's best to face the storm head-on and he exits the twin's room, Esther is still up and is clearly waiting for Mikael and she looks over to Finn when she notices him, "is your father going to return?" Did you kill your father, is what she's truly asking.

"Unfortunately he is, albeit a bit bloody," no I didn't kill him but I could have and I should have, "I asked her to hold my sword and she was and then father appeared out of nowhere and yelled at her and because she's six she doesn't quite understand why she's not allowed to even look at a sword she tried to say something and he hit her. I was going to shoot him in the throat but I thought about how much you care about him even though you were ready to leave-"

"Finn!" Esther hardly ever yells unless she feels like her secrets and lies are under threat of being exposed, then she's on the attack looking for any sign of weakness, it's truly pathetic. "You best mind your tongue, I love your father more than anything and you have no right to doubt my devotion to him."

Finn is about to voice a rebuttal but is interrupted by Mikael making his way out of the forest, looking angrier than the devil on a Sunday, "you must have a death wish, boy, out of your damn mind."

"Father you know well enough I could've easily killed you, you're here because I decided not to, not because my aim was off. A rare show of mercy, it won't ever happen again, if you so much as raise a hand towards her I will kill you with a grin."

Mikael scoffs, pressing his hand against his wound, clearly not in as much pain as Finn hoped, "I think that is quite enough for tonight, please can we finish this in the morning?" Finn nods and happily retreats to his room. Elijah and Klaus are still up, obviously trying to listen in on the conversation because they're nosey like that.

"You should have killed him." Elijah tells him and leaves it at that because nothing else needed to be said, he's right, Finn should have killed him. Klaus nods silently, fighting sleep so desperately as is Elijah.

"Sleep, the both of you." Is all that has to be said and they do. 

Sleep doesn't come as easily for Finn, but it never does, not with his brain feeling like it was under attack. Sleep makes it better and sleep makes it worse, sometimes he'll wake in the middle of the night and Ainsley will be sat next to him playing with his hair, or with his hands.

"I won't let you forget." Is what she always says and suddenly he'll remember everything.

* * *

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we'll see why Finn isn't the bad guy bc I made him cool as FUCK!!! Like did someone order an older brother with no fucks left to give and is crazy protective? Y'all did. That will be $129.99 +s/h.
> 
> Shortest chapter to date, just a bit under 4000 words and for me that's progress
> 
> mama, hvem er hun?- mama, who is she?  
> jeg vet ikke- I don't know  
> Søster takk, det trenger ikke å være slik- Sister please, it doesn't need to be this way (not the literal translation)  
> Du unngikk meg så, lenge søster- You avoided me so long, sister (not literal translation)  
> du var enig i førstefødte, gi meg din første født- You agreed with me the firstborn, give me your firstborn  
> eg er så lei meg, min søte jente- I'm so sorry, my sweet girl  
> mama? Mama, vær så snill!- Mama? Mama please!  
> Vennligst ikke la henne ta meg, mama!- Please don't let her take me, mama!


	7. ♙vii♙

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So we meet Nik's father, FINALLY! He, uh, he tries to be a good person, he's not entirely in control of his actions because witches are petty and evil. 
> 
> Mikael is a terrible father, but we been knew so what's tea?
> 
> Kol is sad, Finn is stressed, and Ainsley lowkey wants to die (issa joke)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND IMPLIED/REFERENCED RAPE/NON-CON
> 
>  
> 
> (4/30: I'm rushing this, like I wasted so much time during the TWO WEEKS I gave myself to write this chapter and I'm not even at the climax, so this chapter is shit and I lowkey think it's gonna be another 8000 word chapter and I wanna die)
> 
> i hate this chapter

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**MAY 31st**

**993**

**10YO**

* * *

 

_In his defense, Mikael has never claimed to be a good man, never tried to pass himself off as a good father because it's blatantly apparent that he isn't, why waste energy lying? It brings him great joy when his children give him looks of betrayal after he's cause one of them harm, it's happened before and it will happen again, they have no reason to be surprised._

_Earlier that day Ainsley had rushed to Niklaus' defense, like she always does, Mikael rarely gets the opportunity to yell at the boy before one of his children comes to his rescue, usually that child is Ainsley and Mikael hates Ainsley. The moon is full, casting light in the typically pitch black woods, Mikael can hear the beasts howling and he hopes his plan works._

_Ainsley stumbles on the uneven path to the lake, before this she's never been on it in the dark and even during the day she struggles with the amount of tree roots and rocks that occupy the path. She's very aware that Mikael is walking her to her death and makes no fuss about it, she knew one day he'd reach his breaking point with her, and he has, she's terrified and they both know it, Mikael revels in it._

_"You should be thanking me for allowing to live this long," Mikael tells her, grabbing her ponytail like a leash and yanking her backwards, "we aren't going to the lake, you aren't worthy enough to die in such a beautiful body of water." He turns off the path and begins walking down to the creek, the shallow stream having an abundance of rocks._

_Mikael releases her hair once they're in front of the creek and backs away, "I want you to find me a rock to kill you with," Ainsley nods, tears finally welling in her eyes, the last thing she expected was for Mikael not killing her quickly, after all, she's not worthy of his time, "then I will leave you for the wolves."_

_Ainsley lets out a sob and hands her father a rock, turning away so she's facing the creek. The second time in her life where she's crying with actual tears, the second time in her life where she's genuinely afraid, Ainsley is afraid of dying, afraid of leaving Finn and Kol, afraid of being eaten by the wolves like her father wishes, Ainsley is terrified. There's nothing she can do to stop him from shoving her to the ground, or dragging her to the creek bed by her hair, "I'm sorry." The words are soft spoken but also heavy, the weight they hold as her last words._

_He says nothing and it seems like the world goes still the second the first blow hits, hard enough to knock the girl unconscious, the next two leave separate gashes, both alarmingly deep. Mikael smiles to himself and drags her body in the creek, leaving her face down and better off dead. Mikael leaves, walking home like he didn't just murder his own child, slipping back in bed with his wife like he didn't just murder **their** child, Mikael doesn't care, he'd do it again in a heartbeat. _

**_~~~_ **

_The wolf nudges the leg with his nose and whines, pawing at it, it's not dead, ' **sleeping** ' the wolf rationalizes before letting out a howl, throwing his head back towards the moon. ' **H** **urt** ' it is hurt and he needs permission to eat it or his Alpha will be angry, nobody likes angry Alpha._

_He whines again and begins pulling the body out of the creek, ' **hurt bad** ' the wolf begins yelping as if he were in pain to get his Alpha's attention, it works. _

_"Andrew, what have I told you about crying wolf?" Ansel chastises him, Andrew paws at the body, ignoring the question completely, ' **hurt** ' Ansel examines the body and quickly recognizes Ainsley and drops to his knees, pulling her limp body towards him, "run back and grab clothes for you and a blanket, understand?" Andrew barks and takes off, leaving Ainsley alone with Ansel._

_Ansel sits her up and pushes gently on her stomach, if she was conscious she would cough up the water on her own, but she isn't therefore she can't and he'd rather not hurt her further than she already has been, "I can hear your heart beating, you need to wake up darling." She stirs slightly, but her eyes remain shut and other than the slight movement and subtle rise and fall of her chest there's no indication that she's alive. Ansel knows exactly who did this and it angers him to no end, how dare Esther lie to him and then stay with the man who beat her children on a regular basis._

_She could have easily been Niklaus, and Ansel would be dead and his pack wouldn't have an Alpha until Niklaus activated the curse, which may never happen, from what Ainsley told him his son was much more interested in art than violence so any blood on his hands would likely be an accident. He would also find out that his whole life has been a lie and Mikael would kill him and then his pack wouldn't have an Alpha at all._

_The sound of grass being disrupted an hour later lets him know that Andrew has returned, the sandy colored wolf carrying clothes and a blanket in his mouth, "in the morning you will carry her home, okay? The oldest one, Finn, might try to kill you out of pure instinct so it's best if you get her there, make sure she's safe, and then leave." Andrew huffs in response, nuzzling Ainsley's face in attempt to wake her and when it fails he begins whining and pawing at her once more._

_**'No more hurt'** Andrew paces back and forth, trots in place, and scratches his back in that order, the wolf sensing that his Alpha was upset and he had no choice but to be upset with him, in true solidarity. Occasionally Andrew will hear a howl off in the distance and reply, shaking his body when his Alpha tells him to be quiet,  **'want wake, be loud'** in all fairness it is logical, loud noises tend to wake people from slumber, Ansel rolls his eyes and looks down at the limp child in his lap, her breathing is more noticeable now and her fingers are moving. Andrew notices this and goes back to pawing at her, this time more aggressively and the girl let out a soft whine.  
_

_"Ainsley?" A quiet groan is the response and she shifts, batting subconsciously at Andrew's paws who takes it as a challenge, **'play'** is accompanied by a loud and distressed whine, the wolf growing more upset by the minutes, he wants to play with her but she won't wake up, it isn't fair. "Ainsley, it's almost dawn, you need to wake up," Ansel only has about an hour and a half left before he has to return to his wolf form, and despite this being "neutral" territory, it is nothing but a trap when he's in his wolf form and highly irrational. His anger towards Esther draws him to their camp even though getting that close to his son would set him afire, the thought of ripping Esther to shreds is almost too tempting._

_Andrew huffs and throws his head back in a deafening howl, stomping his front paws in protest, **'WAKE'** and finally she does, scrambling out of Ansel's hold with a gasp, "easy, you're okay, you're safe," Ainsley stares at Andrew with wide eyes before letting out a sob, moving back towards Ansel and climbing back into his lap, "this is Andrew, he's going to take you home, okay?" She looks over her shoulder at Andrew and the wolf rolls over onto his back, yelping playfully in attempt to be less intimidating and it surprisingly works, the girl is still crying, but Andrew thinks it's because she nearly died and not because of him._

**~**

_There's a reason why the children have a sleeping arrangement of Finn, Ainsley, and Kol in one room and Elijah, Niklaus, Rebekah and Henrik in the other, it's because the oldest are probably the lightest sleepers in the world, that being said, Finn wasn't home last night. That means anything could have happened and no one would know about it._

_Fortunately, Finn returns just as Esther is exiting her room, "did you have a nice journey?" Finn nods and then yawns, the journey just happened to be three hours and Finn just happened to be walking, the whole way._

_"I'm going to bed, my legs have gone numb and I haven't slept a wink in two days," with that he goes to his room and pauses at the doorway, Ainsley isn't in her bed yet Kol is sleeping soundly, that's not how it works with them, Kol always is the first to wake, if Ainsley's gone Kol should be awake, Finn is now very worried, "Mother, where is Ainsley?" It was meant to be a simple, neutral question but the accusatory undertones turn it into a search for guilt._

_"What do you mean? Is she not in the room?" Finn shakes his head and completely rotates his body so he's looking at his mother straight on, he quickly realizes that Esther didn't know where she was either, the rare look of panic on her face says it all, "she was here last night, oh Finn, on a full moon, my child went missing on a full moon and-"_

_The possibility of her being dead is damn near 10/10, "Kol!" Finn cuts his mother off, turning to his younger brother who doesn't move an inch, "Kol I swear, now is not the time for hibernation, WAKE UP!" Elijah does, but Finn doesn't want Elijah, Finn wants Kol._

_"Is there a need for all the shouting?" Elijah asks, leaning against the wall with a frown, "because for once in my life I didn't wake to a child jumping on my stomach, I was in a perfectly peaceful slumber, why have you ruined it?" Finn rolls his eyes, throwing a shoe at Kol's head and the kid groans, head trauma now being added to list of things that wake the twins up, fantastic._

_"Kol do you know where Ainsley is?" That immediately gets Kol's attention, turning to stare at his eldest brother with a face filled with confusion, "that's a no, I just find it hard to believe that she'd wander off on a full moon, she isn't partially brain dead."_

_Kol stands up, looking very nervous, "she and father got into a fight yesterday." Finn all but growls and turns back to Esther who is pacing like a caged animal, erratic. Finn feels like an idiot for realizing it sooner, of course their father would have a part in her disappearance._

_"He wouldn't-" Elijah shakes his head, fully understanding that their father we nothing short of the devil himself, but to kill his own child, he just can't imagine father doing such a thing._

_"What if he did?" Finn snaps at Elijah, who tries to hide the fact that he flinched, doesn't work all too well._

_"Finn! Are you accusing your father of murder?"_

_"Until Ainsley is found, alive and well, yes. Now for the time being, Elijah and I are going to go look for her." Elijah nods and walks over to the armory to retrieve his sword, he hopes they find her quickly so he can go back to bed._

_Finn and Elijah start towards the meadow, mainly to see if father was cruel enough to kill her beneath her favorite tree, he isn't. Meanwhile Andrew has put on his shirt and easily picks Ainsley up, the wolf starts on the path to her home, with her asleep in his arms. Andrew is not much older than Ainsley, 14 years of age, triggering his curse in a hunting incident that left his father dead a year ago, he's one of the few people in their pack that's actually triggered the curse out of 30-something wolves._

_"Finn, maybe we should start looking in bodies of water," Elijah suggests, struggling to keep up with his enraged older brother, nearly tripping over rocks and branches numerous times, "or just stop looking entirely." Finn stops abruptly and spins around to face Elijah, glaring at him intensely, daring him to continue speaking._

_"So how about you go tell Kol we've given up search for his sister, I want you to look that child in the eyes and tell him it's pointless, can you do that?" Elijah shakes his head with wide eyes, "then I suggest you be quiet." Elijah nods silently, waiting for Finn to turn around again to open his mouth._

_"As you said, Finn, it was a full moon and father likely left her in a place that's known for wolves hanging around there, hoping she'd get torn to pieces." Finn stops again, making no move towards Elijah, Finn starts running back up the hill that separated their home from the meadow, he knows exactly where she is._

_"For an idiot, you're quite clever," Finn tells Elijah, turning down the path to the lake, "almost every full moon since we arrived here, this place always has the loudest howls and it's alarmingly close to home, whatever he'd done would have been embarrassingly easy, the psychotic bastard." Elijah thinks back on it, and it's true, the lake is a wolf hotspot for reasons unknown other than the fact that it's neutral territory._

_"The more you talk the more I'm psyching myself up and preparing my mind to see a corpse, or what used to be a corpse before a wolf came around." The younger of the two tenses in case Finn whirls around and tries to clock him in the face, though he never does, instead he stops once again, addressing someone Elijah can't see._

_"Who the hell are you?" There's a boy, couldn't be much older than Niklaus, holding their sister in his arms, Finn has a lot of questions and this kid better have the answers._

_"I'm Andrew, I found her around five hours ago, at the edge of the creek and-"_

_"Why didn't you bring her back five hours ago?" Elijah questions and Finn makes a noise of agreement, also wondering the same thing._

_"Five hours ago I didn't have thumbs," Andrew shifts uncomfortably under Finn's harsh gaze, "I'm guessing you're Finn since you look about ready to kill me, please don't."_

_Finn says nothing but he holds out his arms, "why didn't you kill her?" He asks once Ainsley is safe in his arms, "you had a prone body, left there for you to eat and you didn't, why?"_

_"She was in neutral territory and we can't kill in neutral territory without our Alpha's permission or our life being endanger, I called him over and he told me to protect her and in the morning carry her home."_

_Finn nods silently, taking a step back to indicate that the conversation is over and Andrew gets the hint, running across the woods towards the wolf territory while the brothers begin the walk back home, at ease knowing their sister is alive and safe with them. The second they exit the woods Kol is by their side, popping out of seemingly nowhere, asking a thousand questions at rapid pace, barely taking breaths in between words. Esther is trying to console a very very upset Rebekah when she notices them, and then the body in Finn's arms and her whole body goes rigid._

_"She's sleeping, mother," Elijah explains before stopping to think about it, how is she alive? "We need to talk to Andrew again, he found her meaning she was already there and hurt, the possibility of her being alive was slim to none and yet here she is-"_

_"Safe and sound." Finn finishes, placing his sister in her bed before turning back to Elijah, "how long was she there before he found her? There had to be a significant amount of time between father leaving and Andrew finding her, or else father would have been killed, easily. From what I can see, her head is pretty banged up, logically she should have bleed out before Andrew got to her."_

_Esther shakes her head, "we don't know if it was Mikael, so-"_

_"Who else could have grabbed her while she slept, dragged her down to the creek and give her that level of head trauma? If it was anybody but Mikael she would have fought to the death here, she would not have allowed someone to take her, we are all in agreement that it was father, why are you denying it?"_

_"The same reason she always denies all of his crimes, she loves him way more than she could ever love her children," everyone's heads whip around to look at Finn who was leaning against the wall, right next to the entrance to his room, their mouths open in shock, "what? Am I wrong? You love us most when we're little and have no real grasp on the world and idol you solely because you're our mother."_

_"Finn I suggest you watch your mouth, you-"_

_"Or what? I become the next person on father's hit list?"_

_Esther and Finn go back and forth, at some point moving away from the center of the camp to whisper-yell at each other in private, and Ainsley wakes and is immediately tackled by Kol, not caring if she was sore._

_Everyone lost their minds when she was gone for a handful of hours, next time, and yes there will be a next time, they will lose all hope in finding her._

* * *

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**MID NOVEMBER**

**995**

**13YO**

**~~~~~~~~~~**

Thirteen is different, for Kol it means going on hunting trips and actually get to hunt, and for Ainsley it means absolutely nothing, all of the things she wants to involve some type of weapon and she's not allowed to look at weaponry anymore, so Ainsley's bored. Fishing is boring, she regrets coming and by the looks of it, so does Rebekah, the almost 10-year-old is making herself busy by eradicating the entirety of the dandelion population.

"We're finished, stop looking like you've had your soul sucked out of you," Finn teases, pushing her head playfully, "and baby Bex, can we please put a hold on the mass genocide?" Rebekah thinks about it but Elijah picks her up swiftly, spinning her around, "she says yes."

"No, I _says_ put me down!" Rebekah retorts, kicking at his legs in defiance, he finally puts her down and she runs ahead of Ainsley, giggling.

They aren't even halfway home before it all goes to shit, everything was fine, Finn was picking at Elijah, Rebekah was kicking mushrooms over and Ainsley was in her own little world, they were fine. And then they weren't.

"This is why I bug Kol, he's so quick to lash out and you make me work for it, just to get even a little bit under your skin," it was taking every ounce of control for Elijah not to turn around and punch him in the face, the idea of it is just so satisfying but then again, that's exactly what Finn wants, it's always what he wants. He chips away at your exterior until you blow up, and somehow you end up looking like the idiot. 

"Finn, I will stab you." Elijah states calmly, earning a laugh from Finn, a laugh that says 'I dare you' knowing damn well Elijah would never do such a thing because Elijah doesn't like getting beat up, and Finn would beat the shit out of him before he could get a hand on his knife. 

"How old are you two again?" Ainsley teases, turning around to stop the destruction of Elijah Mikaelson's psyche, "I swear Henrik is more mature than the both of you two combined, and you two are like, ancient."

Elijah lets out a fake laugh and pushes her to the ground, "and you're on the ground, like a rodent." She rolls her eyes and makes move to attack his legs and Elijah quickly realizes that Finn is aiding her in all her malicious glory. He's quick to cry uncle and runs ahead of them, going back to teasing Rebekah, leaving Ainsley and Finn by themselves.

Finn goes to say something but Ainsley shushes him, charging at Elijah and jumping onto his back, causing him to lose his balance, "did you truly think I was actually going to pardon you?" She laughs as he tries to shake her off, once he finally throws her off of him she breaks out in a run and suddenly Elijah cries out in pain, Ainsley immediately turns around to see there's an arrow sticking out of his thigh and she looks up at Finn with a frown, but with the look on her eldest brother's face tells her that he had no part in this, then who the hell did? Finn lets out a string of curse words that make Rebekah gasp, because holy shit, Finn, watch your fucking mouth, he quickly throws his sword at Ainsley who catches it, "both of you run like hell, do you understand?" Wolves, lots of them, too, armed with bows and swords, running like hell seems to be the sensible thing to do.

Ainsley pushes Rebekah in front of her and they both take off running, and it's quickly evident what the wolves want, or who they want, if we're being specific, "Ainsley!" Rebekah screams, pointing at a group of at least 10 wolves chasing them, and then the actual wolf, Ansel. "Keep going, Bex," Rebekah pauses, turning to look at her sister in confusion, "go Rebekah!" Ainsley snaps and the girl turns and starts sprinting, not looking back.

"Ainsley what the hell are you doing?" Elijah yells, back on his feet with his sword in his hand and a dagger in the other, Ainsley doesn't reply and backtracks, keeping her eyes on Ansel who is completely focused on her, ignoring the fact that Finn is causing his men to drop like flies with his wolfsbane soaked arrows that he seems to be in endless supply of, ignoring the fact that she's obviously luring him in.

"AINSLEY!" Just as he made move to pounce on her he lets out a yelp in pain, skidding to a stop in front of her with an arrow sticking out of his spine, Ainsley swings the sword around and just before the blade hits him there's a sharp pain in her abdomen, a very sharp pain courtesy of a very sharp blade, Ainsley can't help but scream out in pain and stumble backwards, right into the arms of a wolf. 

This wolf was actually a wolf, because as soon as he picks her up she's deep into the wolf territory, out of her brother's sight in seconds, "I'm disappointed, Ansel said she was a fighter, insanely fast reflexes, she didn't even hear me come up from behind her." The wolf seemed to have forgotten the fact that Ainsley is still in possession of a weapon, idiot, she groans when he throws her to the ground and she takes that as an opportunity to stab him in the dick, with Finn's wolfsbane soaked sword because he's thorough like that. Ainsley ignores the pain and scrambles back to her feet in record time, shoving the blade in his stomach this time, watching him fall to the ground before turning around to the other wolves standing there.

"Well?" Ainsley taunts, taking a shaky step towards the group, not noticing that one of them was Andrew, who made no move to help her, "this is boring and I'm hurting, so if one of you could tend to my wounds, that would be great."

"Who are you to make demands?" A woman snaps and Ainsley rolls her eyes and sighs, it wasn't a demand, it was a request because she's bleeding out, you dense bitch.

Ainsley doesn't get to respond before her world goes black, the blood loss finally catching up to her.

**~**

Rebekah's legs are on fire and the number of times she's fallen because her tears impairing her vision is astounding, she's surprised she hasn't broken anything, yet she finally exits the woods and damn near collapses, "MOTHER!" Isn't as loud as she hoped due to her lungs shriveling up, she wipes her eyes and stumbles the rest of the way home, "MOTHER!" Her voice cracks at the end and she lets out a sob.

"Darling what is it?" Rebekah ignores the question in favor of wrapping her arms around her mother and crying into her chest, "where are your siblings?" She cries harder at that, she doesn't even know if they're alive, Esther gives up on asking questions and next thing she knows she's being carried over to the fire and Mikael's kneeling down in front of her, checking for wounds and he lets out a relieved sigh when he finds none.

"Deep breaths, my child, we need to know what happened," Mikael whispers, pushing her hair from her face, a rare show of kindness from her father, but everyone knows she's his weakness, "what has got you so upset?" Rebekah chokes on a sob and holds her arms out, needing the security of being in her father's arms and he obliges, letting her bury her face in the crook of his neck and rubbing her back gently.

"Wolves, Elijah got shot and Finn told Ainsley and I to run-"

"Elijah was shot?" Esther interrupts, panic evident in her voice and Mikael shushes her, panicking isn't going to help anyone.

"And we did but then I noticed that there was an actual wolf chasing us and Ainsley stopped and told me to go, I don't know what happened after that." Rebekah finishes and buries her face back into the crook of Mikael's neck while he quietly converses with Esther, pretending she couldn't hear their conversation, they're about what to tell Kol if Ainsley doesn't come back.

"How about you tell me the truth," Mikael nearly drops Rebekah when Kol appears out of nowhere, like he usually does, "I'm not a child, and despite what you might think I do possess self-control." He's staring Esther down, knowing she'll break eventually, she always does.

Rebekah doesn't hear the rest of the conversation, all tired out from the day's events, Mikael lays her on her bed, pulling the blanket up to her shoulders and promptly exiting the room, "they should be back by now, why aren't they?" She's panicking now in a way only a mother could, her brown eyes wide in fear and Mikael frowns, she's right, they should be back.

"Rebekah didn't say where Elijah was shot-"

"Are you saying he's dead?"

"What? When did I ever- Esther, his wound might have compromised his ability to move on his own and Finn having to support his brother that he barely has two inches on, it may take a while. Or they could have gone after her, we don't know and we can't until they get back, you have my permission to fall apart if Elijah comes back on death's doorstep."

"Shut up, Mikael." She all but hisses at him.

He feels the need to remind her that staring at the forest opening won't make them come faster, but Kol returns with Niklaus who looks confused more than anything, "why haven't we gone to look for them?" 

"Did Kol not mention the wolf ambush?" He nods at Esther.

"But there's another path that goes through neutral territory, the path they should have taken in my opinion." Mikael rolls his eyes despite Niklaus being right, they did have another way to get their child, they just didn't think of it.

"Give them another hour, now that I've thought about it, Finn might have gone onto their territory just to kill some of them, he's vengeful like that."

**~**

Another hour came and went, and then another, and then another and now Mikael is starting to worry, despite knowing well enough that his boys can be astonishingly savage, they aren't idiots, and neither is Ainsley, they wouldn't stay in that situation any longer than completely necessary, which obviously means something happened.

"Father-" Kol is cut off by Rebekah running towards the woods, his children are back.

Finn is just about drenched in blood yet Rebekah hugs him anyway and when she bursts into tears he shushes her all the same, Elijah isn't nearly as bloody as his brother and Ainsley isn't there, a fact Esther realizes very quickly.

"Where is she?" Finn turns to Elijah, who sighs and appears to be fighting back tears, neither one of them can look Esther in the eye.

"They took her, mother." 

Esther knows who and she knows why, she took Ansel's heir from him, never gave him the chance to meet him and in retaliation he took her heir, her strongest child when it came to witchcraft. She can't help the sob that escapes her lips, her child has been abducted by the man who hates her more than anything in the world.

"They'll kill her." She whispers and Finn looks up to glare at her.

"Why? How would that benefit them?" Finn knew exactly what, he just wanted to see if Esther would say it, she doesn't.

He rolls his eyes and walks over to Kol, hugging his brother who has been silently crying for the past 5 minutes, "I'm so sorry." Kol nods but otherwise stays silent, crying into Finn's shoulder.

* * *

**NOVEMBER 30TH**

**FULL MOON**

**~~~~~**

 

Ainsley pretends to not be frightened, but she is, she's cold and terrified. All of the wolves knew that, most of them used it against her and because of that she is littered in bruises, regularly tricked into saying the wrong things so they had an excuse to beat her.

"I want you all to know that if I see a fresh bruise on that girl, you're out. She isn't here to be beaten, by anyone, so enough is enough and leave her the hell alone." Ansel growled out the last part, eyes temporarily turning that special kind of yellow, letting his pack know he was serious.

The humans voice their agreement and the wolves let out a bark, and it's clear that some of the humans don't mean it, "no leaving our territory tonight, it's far too soon and we lost far too many men during the ambush." The wolfsbane arrows had caught them by surprise, most of his men had never even encountered wolfsbane before this and with Finn firing off arrows at rapid speed, they had lost 12 men, 11 to Finn's arrows and one to Ainsley's sword. He had gotten arrogant, forgot she still had it, and then he was dead.

The wolves bark again and take off into the dense forest, the others go about their business, leaving Ansel and Ainsley alone together. "Why am I here?" She whispers, wrapping her arms around herself in attempt to fend off the cold, it doesn't work.

"If it was possible, Niklaus would be here with you," that surprises Ainsley and she tilts her head, silently asking for an explanation, "I've grown tired of hearing you and my son run through the woods in attempt to get away from Mikael, seeing how little Esther does to stop it. How dare she claim to love my son, my blood! And also allow for him to be beaten sometimes to the brink of death," Ansel takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his hair, trying to calm down, Ainsley doesn't think it's working, "and you! She has no genuine love for you, you have power and you have anger towards her so she fears you, she pretends to panic all the while wishing Mikael would just cut your head off and be done with it." Another deep breath and he closes his eyes, they had once again turned yellow and he looked to be on the verge of going on a rampage.

"She is a vile creature that destroys everyone she touches, like a disease, Esther Mikaelson is a disease and all of you will be better off once you rid yourselves of her." 

Ainsley nods in agreement, "she's poisoning Finn, giving his tainted food with subtle potions to make him forget all of her sins he witnessed. Every night I try to restore his memory to the best of my ability but it's like he's losing his mind, I fear the potions might just kill him instead." She shivers at a small gust of wind and Ansel wraps a fur blanket around her and carries her inside of his house, the Alpha's house belongs to the Alpha and their family, no one else, it's not communal as are the other homes.

He places her at the foot of the fire burning in the center of the room, the house is quite simple on the grounds of Ansel being wifeless, "what does she do to control his strength? His temper?"

"He doesn't have a temper, he's a kind boy Ansel, I've told you this. As for his strength, I'm not sure but I have a guess, he wears a necklace that mother made him and he lost it once and she panicked like I've never seen before, told him he must keep it on at all times." 

Ansel shakes his head and sits down on the opposite side of the fire, "he's a wolf, Ainsley, he has a temper, it's a part of who we are. The necklace must also neutralizes it as well, and as bad as it sounds, I'm glad, I want him here with me as my son but the last thing I want for him is to activate his curse, that would be his death sentence. He doesn't need blood on his hands, from what you told me, he's too good."

"You're a good man, Ansel, some of your methods may be a bit questionable, but you are good." Ansel flashes her a smile, his blue eyes lighting up, just like Nik's.

He was Nik's father and it was very obvious, "even as a grown man I'm not afraid to admit that Finn scares the hell out of me." Ainsley lets out a loud laugh, rolling on her back and kicking her legs.

"He's too damn good at killing things, and he's what? Twenty-two? Last time I had a conversation with him was when he was six and I gave him a dagger for the hell of it, watched him kill a bird with it, while it was flying."

"He was the first son to a viking, Ansel, brutality is in his nature." It was in all of theirs.

* * *

**JANUARY**

**996**

**~~~~~**

 

Finn has just about given up on getting Kol to interact with the rest of the Mikaelson children, the boy having no interest in any activities, even Rebekah couldn't persuade him to leave his room. In the first month he was as fine as he could possible be, but then she didn't come back the next month and he completely shut down, fully understanding that his sister was gone. Somedays he'd follow Kol up to the edge of the wolf's territory and watch as he sat in the snow, staring into the dark maze of a forest, and on some of those days Ansel would be seen, trotting around without a care in the world.

Now, now he's just in pain, his other half has been gone for two months and there's nothing that can be done about it. Finn surely isn't reckless enough to storm their compound and demand that his sister be returned to him, then Kol would lose two siblings, and he doesn't need that.

_"Do you think they're hurting her?" Kol had asked one night, tapping his fingers to an unheard rhythm._

_"He's not that type of man, Kol."_

_"What if he's changed?" The tapping grows more rigid._

_"If he had he wouldn't have gone for Ainsley." Esther would have been unrecognizable if Ansel was a lesser man, and despite wanting his sister to come back, he doesn't think Ansel would allow any harm done to her._

_Kol nods slowly, looking off into oblivion before turning towards the wall to sleep._

"Kol I will force this down your throat, you have to eat," Finn is about to start pulling out his hair, it's one of those "glare into the wolf's territory" days and Kol hasn't moved in hours and Finn is on the brink of a breakdown, "tell me what to do, this hurts, seeing you so quiet and almost invisible hurts because in a way you've also left. I've become the most annoying sibling and it isn't right, that was your title and you held it proudly and now you barely look anyone in the eye when in the past that was how you got into people's heads, I don't think you sleep, you aren't eating and-"

"Can you be done now?" Kol looks up at him with a hint of a smirk and a dim light in his eyes, improvement.

"If you eat, then yes." Finn smiles when Kol takes the bowl of soup, he hadn't seen the kid eat in days so this was a huge victory.

Finn takes a seat next to him, grateful that Kol had found them a patch of ground without snow littered all over it, "it's so quiet in my head, I'm so used to our unspoken conversations and it isn't there, it's empty."

Their mental connection has weakened over the past few months, they still can feel each other's souls, and that connection is the only reason why Kol hasn't killed himself. If Ainsley were to die or vice versa, it would feel like their insides are being pulled apart, they credit it to being twins when it really was a linking spell performed by Ayana at birth, right before Esther kicked her out. And with the plans the witches have for Ainsley, if Kol dies, it's over for the both of them. For good. 

"I can't even imagine what that must feel like, I understand why you don't want to do anything."

"Nothing's fun without Ainsley."

* * *

 

**FEBRUARY**

**996**

**~~~~~**

 

Nik flinches when Finn touches his shoulder, the wound had stopped bleeding hours ago, Finn is just a doting mother even if he won't admit it. The second one of them is injured he's doing everything in his power to help them, all the while being an ass.

"Niklaus I will strap you to this log if you don't stop moving, the fire only provides so much light." Nik hisses in pain when a wet cloth is placed over the wound and he tries to move away from it but Finn grabs a fist full of his hair, tugging him back into place.

"Ow!" Finn rolls his eyes and finishes cleaning the gash and throws the cloth to the ground, reaching for the needle and thread.

"Do not move, this will take a while," Nik groans and nods, trying not to shiver from the cold and Finn's feather-like touches, "I know you're cold, but I need to see what I'm doing, okay?" Nik nods again and they fall into a comfortable silence.

Nik had somehow, "somehow" overpowered Mikael today and nearly beat him and because of his ice thin ego he stabbed him in the shoulder, which is how they ended up here. "I think I've come to a point where my body is used to being stabbed, so the internal pain doesn't last for long." 

"Shut up Niklaus, I'm trying to focus."

"Forgive me for being bored, it's not like you haven't been aiding me in this exact spot for the past two hours," all of the other children have gone to sleep so there's no one to keep Nik entertained, besides Finn, "my neck hurts!"

"Continue whining and I'll break it." And finally Nik takes the hint and remains silent.

For about ten minutes.

"You should be the town surgeon, you have plenty of practice from all the times you stopped me from bleeding out." Finn laughs quietly but doesn't reply, this was going to be an excruciatingly long night and boring, if he keeps talking Finn might actually kill him and this whole experience would have been for nothing. 

Finn's about a third of the way done when his head snaps up and he glares into the darkness, "get down." He stands and reaches for his sword, Nik looks at him in confusion and before he can ask anything Finn shoves him to the ground, the log hiding him from view, "for once would you just listen to me?" Finn hisses under his breath, stepping over the log and walking out of view.

The soft footsteps he heard get closer, his grip on his sword is almost vice like and he shifts his body to attack when the intruder lets out a soft whimper, "Ainsley?" Sure enough Ainsley stands before him, wrapped in furs far too large and her hair cut short, she nods and he pulls her into his arms.

"Oh my little fox, we've missed you so much," he carries her over to the fire and Nik uses his good arm to sit up, "are you hurt?" She shakes her head, flashing a small smile at Nik who grins back, she's too skinny, faint bruises littered her exposed legs, along with a... bite mark? And dried blood? 

"Now you can keep me company while Finn takes forever and a day to sew me up, I can't even imagine the look on Kol's face in the morning, why aren't you talking?" Finn hits in the back of the head and gives him a look and Ainsley silently thanks him, happy to see both her brothers but also extremely overwhelmed with being home, with being safe.

"Use Niklaus' legs as a pillow and sleep, you have to be exhausted and by the time I finish this it'll be time to get up anyways," Nik makes a shocked noise and glares at his brother, he didn't know 'a while' meant all damn night, "you sleep too, or you'll be exceptionally grumpy in the morning and nobody wants that, especially not this morning."

Ainsley shuffles over to her brother, dragging the large furs behind her and Nik stretches out his legs for her, "my little Loki, I've come to miss your tricks and the completely unfair team ups between you and Kol, I'm really happy you're home." He whispers, running his hand through her cropped hair, whoever had cut it clearly did not care what it would look like in the end, possibly it was a punishment for something stupid.

She smiles up at him, brighter than before, "love you, Nik." He returns the saying and within minutes the two of them are sleeping soundly, finally allowing Finn some peace and quiet.

**~**

 

Kol doesn't like to be kept in the dark for a number of reasons, one of the many being he likes to know everything and see if he could use it against someone in psychological warfare, so when Nik and Elijah glance at him for a few seconds and then grin to each other.

"Alright, what is it?" Elijah bites his lip and Nik takes on big innocent blue eyes, oh please, Kol rolls his eyes and grabs a dagger laying nearby and advances towards his brothers. 

"Kol, Bex and Henrik are still sleeping and you're already trying to kill your siblings." Finn groans from behind him, wearing a very smug look on his face and Ainsley glares at him, dressed in a oversized tunic following her first bath in two weeks. There were words said during that bath, questions asked, Finn finally has an explanation for the bite mark, and although he may look happy on the outside, on the inside he's seething. 

Finn laughs, holding Ainsley to his chest, "now that we're talking about Kol, I got you a present." Kol turns around with an eyebrow raised before freezing, "do you like it? Picked it out myse- ow!" Ainsley elbows him in the gut and wiggles her way out of his hold, Finn barely registers the fact that Kol had moved, Ainsley throws herself at him and he catches her, pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.

Elijah and Nik watch with a smile, happy that Kol is no longer going to mope all day instead of playing around with his siblings, "I'm never leaving your side." Kol whispers, and he means it, they were already a package deal before, but now it'll take nothing shorter than Odin him-fucking-self to come down and pry him from his sister.

"I know." 

* * *

 

 

.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: VALE AND POSSESSIVE BROTHERS
> 
> UPDATES EVERY TWO WEEKS
> 
> i really fucking hate this chapter, it took me way too long and I hate it.


	8. ⥼viii⥽

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> love is a wonderful thing.
> 
> Except when you have four brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the 11th century, relationships moved hella fast, meaning all of this happens in a single year. Like the courting before she and Vale get married is like, four weeks.
> 
> I'm really bad at sticking with one POV, so leave me alone.
> 
> I've also changed Nelda's description, the one in this chapter is correct and I'm too lazy to go back and fix it

 

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**999**

**DECEMBER**

**17YO**

* * *

 

 

Rebekah has been giggling for the past five minutes and it's about to drive Ainsley insane, the girl just won't shut up. They had to simply pick up some items from the market, that simple, and Ainsley is about to tear her head off. The 14-year-old snickers once more and Ainsley loses it, "and pray tell what is so amusing?" She snaps, turning to glare at her younger sister.

Rebekah bites back a grin and shakes her head, "I will see to you not even getting a whiff of sweet cakes ever again, what is it Rebekah?" Her sister's eyes widen and she looks around behind her, probably looking for their brothers.

"Okay so, the blacksmith's apprentice has been staring at you ever since we got here," Ainsley frowns and goes to look when Rebekah yanks on her hair, "don't look! Are you mad? If you look that means you'll make eye contact and eye contact means you'll have to talk and talking means our brothers would hang him before dusk. For his safety, do not look."

Ainsley stifles a laugh at how serious Rebekah was taking this, the short blonde bouncing on the balls of her feet in her little rant, Ainsley laughs and it's not her fault, "if I can't look why did you tell me? And what if I want to talk to him?"

"To who?"

"Yeah, who? And why is who a him?" 

"I don't like that who is a him."

Nik and Kol appear beside their sisters and Ainsley sighs, "he is no one, okay? Drop it." They both eye her carefully and she rolls her eyes, "it's nothing!"

The two boys completely ignore their sister, setting off to find to find 'him' and Rebekah gives Ainsley a pointed look, "him is a goner." Ainsley slaps the back of Rebekah's head and glares at her, her imagination when it came to love and relationship was very childish. Clinging onto the fairytales they were told as children as her guide and no one had the heart to tell her that she wasn't going to marry a prince. 

"Him wouldn't be if you didn't say anything," Ainsley hisses, pushing her towards their next stop, the produce shop, which is practically on top of the blacksmiths, "why did you say something if you knew how our brothers would react?"

"So you can defy their wishes, fall in love, and live happily ever after." Rebekah gives her a bright smile before turning towards the food, there wasn't much, but they didn't need a lot and- "he's looking again." She draws out the last syllable in a sickly sweet voice and Ainsley ignores her, that's all they can ever do, ignore the menace. 

She takes the bag from Rebekah and fills it with the two last remaining squash, "I don't like squash, Val," Rebekah whines using her nickname that was given to her by their father on one of his rare good days, it's short for valkyrie "put it back, I don't want it." She huffs and stomps her foot because she is a mature young woman, easily mistaken for an adult with her etiquette.

"Sometimes I don't want you, Bex, quit complaining." Her voice is short, just like her self-control, the only thing keeping her from stabbing her in the chest and walking home. "Hand me the corn and we'll be finished, okay?" Rebekah nods and passes her the starch and begins bouncing on the balls of her feet again, such an odd child. Ainsley pays the stall worker and turns around, bumping right into the apprentice, Rebekah squeals and runs off, because she's a brat.

"It would appear that you've been set up," the apprentice smiles and Ainsley smiles back, her mind racing a thousand miles per second, he has green eyes, he has _green_ eyes "is she always prying into people's lives, or is it with just you?" 

"Unfortunately, she thinks everyone she have a fairytale ending, so yes." He laughs and Ainsley prays her brothers are nowhere near, in hindsight she thinks this is a really bad idea, but the man has green eyes for Odin's sake.

He sticks his hand out, "I'm Vale, and you are Ainsley Mikaelson." Ainsley tilts her head, is her family really that crazy that strangers just automatically knew who they were? "Your father sometimes borrows our tools and frequently rants about how his children must be trying to kill him by driving him mad, you in particular." Ainsley rolls her eyes and laughs, of course Mikael blames them for his problems.

"Drive him mad? He was driven mad before I was even born and-"

"Who's this, little sister?" Fucking Nik, Vale shifts his eyes to Nik, the passively hostile older brother.

"I reckon it's who from earlier." Kol pipes up, not hiding his glare aimed at Vale.

"You two are the absolute worst."

Vale raises his hands in defeat, "I concede, it was nice talking to you Ainsley." 

"Bye!" Kol chirps, waving at him and Ainsley turns to glare at them both, which they both ignore, "come near my sister again and I'll gut you."

They have the nerve to smile at her, the absolute nerve of these two, Ainsley shoves the bag at Nik and says nothing. "We've done you a favor, Val, you should be thanking us." Ainsley ignores him and starts on the trail home, putting a significant amount of distance between her and her two idiot brothers.

"There's no need to be so sour, sister, what could he have possibly offered you?" Nik calls out in that arrogant tone she hated, "he has nothing for you and we saved you, like the good brothers we are, from a very dull conversation. You're welcome." 

Ainsley all but runs the rest of the way home, pushing past Elijah when he tries to question her, settling for hunting Rebekah. The blonde squeaks and smartly hides behind Finn, the chaos driven Mikaelson also known for being the peacekeeper.

"What is this all about?" Finn asks, restraining Ainsley calmly as she tries to wiggle out of his grip, "I asked you a question, Val."

Ainsley growls at her brother but replies, "she tried to set me up with this boy, knowing that nothing would come of it because the four of you are a bunch of control freaks and have decided that the opposite sex is off-limits for Rebekah and I."

"What boy?" Oh bloody hell, of course that's the only thing he picked up on.

"Forget it, you can let go now," Ainsley not-so-lightly pushes him away and storms down to her tree and groans when Kol appears next to her, "I ran from you because the last thing I want to do right now is engage in a conversation with you."

He snorts and sits down next to her, bumping her shoulder with his, "you truly have no reason to be upset, you barely knew him, I bet you don't even know his surname." He flashes at smug grin at her, the grin dissipates when it's met with a glare and a tight frown. 

"Because I had just met him and our conversation was cut short by two complete and utter idiots. I want a family of my own, Kol, and that requires a male, a husband perhaps," Kol makes a face and shakes his head, "yes! If I want to get married and have children there's nothing the four of you could do to stop me!" She closes her eyes and tries to calm down, but then Kol starts talking again.

"I mean, we could kill him-" Ainsley punches him in the face, hard, and she won't apologize for it, ever.

She stands and wipes off her dress and glares down at her twin, "go to hell, Kol, and take our older brothers with you," he stares up at her, holding his injured jaw with a pout, "now, I'm off to make a new friend, someone I'm not related to and someone whose company I actually enjoy."

**~**

"She's been sneaking around with that boy, I don't like it, we know nothing about him besides the fact he's an apprentice and is in love with our baby sister. What is our plan of action?" Elijah asks, the four of them sitting around the fire scheming, the rest of the family has long since gone to bed.

"I say we kill him." Kol supplies and Finn seems to genuinely think about it, looking at Elijah and Nik for their opinions.

"Ainsley would hate us for forever, could you guys handle that? I couldn't, even on her sweetest days I'm terrified of her." Nik admits, Finn sighs and leans back against a log, tapping his fingers on the ground.

"Does father know?" Kol shakes his head, "would we be putting her at risk by telling him?" Elijah finishes his thought and Kol shrugs. Their father had an odd relationship with Ainsley, he could be crueler than the devil one moment and then in the next he would boast to his friends that his daughter was a fearless warrior, no one knows where he stands when it comes to her.

"I think he likes her some of the time, she's his little valkyrie, but I honestly believe he would beat the life out of her if we told him, so that's off the table, what else?" They were all fresh out of ideas and the best one is also the most life-threatening one.

They were all deep in thought when the littlest Mikaelson exits his room, heading straight for Nik who jumps slightly at the sight of him, "well if isn't the most tolerable brother, what are you doing up?" Henrik shrugs and leans into his favorite brother's chest, obviously tired and obviously not going back to bed.

Kol throws a twig at him and scrambles away when Nik lunges at him, "wait wait wait, we can get Ainsley to take Henrik with her on her next outing." The brothers all pause to think about it, Ainsley, like everyone else, has trouble telling Henrik "no". 

"That would be suspicious, though, and our dear baby brother is yet to be a skilled liar." Finn finally states, groaning in frustration, all of their ideas are tanking, how do you plan for Ainsley Mikaelson? 

You don't.

"She's too smart for us, so what do we do? Do we give up?" Nik asks, running his hands through Henrik's hair absentmindedly.

Kol immediately shakes his head, "no, he doesn't deserve her, half the time we barely deserve her. If we have to throw him to the bloody wolves, let's do it, I want him gone."

"Are the four of you done?" Ainsley asks and they all snap their heads towards her, her arms crossed against her chest, glaring at the lot of them, "because I just had one of the worst nightmares of my life and nobody was there to make it better." 

Her cheeks are bloody and she had claw marks under her eyes and on her arms, she's a mess, "I could barely breathe and you four are planning to off a boy and for the pettiest reason ever, have you ever looked at me? Of course I'm going to attract attention, I'm gorgeous."

"He'll think you a demon if he ever sees you like this, you know that right?" Elijah didn't mean to sound so cruel but the six of them all knew what he said was true, Rebekah is still scared of her even though she'll never admit it, Ainsley scares people and that's just the way it is.

Ainsley frowns and looks down at her feet, "you don't know that." She whispers and they all but Henrik roll their eyes, it's wishful thinking and a silver lining, Ainsley knows the possibility of Vale even looking at her if he ever saw her like this were slim to none, she just wishes they didn't say it.

"Naivety is Rebekah's schtick, grow up Ainsley, it wasn't going to end well anyway." Finn shrugs when she glares at him, he'd rather break her heart than have Vale do it.

Ainsley turns back into their room and quickly returns with her shoes on, "if you all are so sure, why don't we go ask him?" And with that she breaks out in a run towards the trail to market, Kol and Finn immediately following. Vale is odd and she likes it, likes him, and he likes her and that has to count for something.

"Ainsley stop!" She ignores them in favor of running faster, she can't outrun them for much longer, so she calls for backup.

"ANSEL!"

Her brothers curse and the wolf is there within seconds, skidding to a stop in front of them, growling, "oh you have to be joking, Ainsley call him off!"

"No! Not until I have my answer," she takes a deep breath, resting for a while, "you aren't father nor are you my keeper, this is my life and I will do what I please with it!"

She turns around, jogging the rest of the way to the market and like always Vale is up working, he lifts his head up at the sound of her footsteps and smiles but it quickly falls, "Ainsley what on earth happened? Are you okay?" He gently cups her face and looks her over, the frown still on his face.

"This is what happens when I have nightmares, usually my brothers wake me up before I hurt myself but they were all busy plotting your demise." His frown deepens and he pulls her further into the stall, "are you disgusted by me?" She whispers and he immediately shakes his head, wiping the blood off her face with a rag before kissing her forehead.

"All this means is that I need to protect you from your mind, before it becomes your end and I lose you." It's Ainsley's turn to frown.

"I wouldn't kill myself, Vale, I-" 

"These are far too close to your eyes, little fox, we can't have you clawing your pretty eyes out. You're staying with me tonight, okay? They should have been protecting you and they weren't." Ainsley nods and rests her head on his shoulder.

Vale guides her into his room and smiles as she immediately falls onto his bed, "I'm tired Vale, will you hold me?" He nods and moves her so she's under the blanket, he climbs in next to her and wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his chest.

"My little fox, mine." He whispers into the crook of her neck and she giggles softly, there was no one in the world that could take her Vale from her, no one.

**~**

"Father no! The answer is no, goodbye now!" Ainsley rolls her eyes at Finn's antics, holding Vale's hand as he tries not to laugh at her brothers acting like complete idiots.

"I say no as well." Kol says and ignores the glare Ainsley sends his way, he can handle a glare as long as it meant his sister wouldn't get married.

"Well I say yes." Rebekah smiles and Ainsleys smiles back, very glad that she had told her that Vale was looking at her all those weeks ago.

"You don't count."

"Oh shut up, Rebekah!"

"Nobody asked you." The older four brothers glare at their littlest sister who frowns and stomps off, muttering about how she wishes the "fools" would get struck down by Thor himself and Ainsley can't help but laugh.

Mikael rolls his eyes, "that is enough! All of you! Your word holds no weight in the matter and the matter doesn't concern you so off you go," none of them move and Mikael looks like he's about to explode and nobody's laughing now, "GO!" Finally the four leave, all shooting Vale one last glare before heading back up to the house.

"Would you like some water, Father?" Mikael shakes his head and takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down and when he finally manages he smiles at his daughter, a genuine smile.

"You have my-" Ainsley tackles him with a hug, wrapping her legs around his waist and he laughs, she lets go after a while and turns to hug Vale and he laughs, spinning his wife-to-be around.

Finally one of his children are moving out, the seven of them for all these years has proven Mikael right about wanting to stop at four, but Esther wanted more and it seems that she always gets what she wants, no matter what.

"Rebekah is going to lose her head!" Ainsley could barely contain her excitement herself, finally she no longer had to listen to her father's orders or her mother's falsehoods, she's finally grown and it feels absolutely amazing.

"If you go back squealing your brothers are going to knock my head off as a last resort," Ainsley ignores him and drags him up the hill to her home. practically buzzing with joy, "you are going to protect me, okay? One of them will charge at me, I just know it."

Ainsley nods absentmindedly, not actually listening to what he was saying and he knows it too. All eyes were on them once they return from the meadow and once Rebekah sees the smile on Ainsley's face she all but screams and runs to hug her sister, "oh you have to name your first daughter after me, I'm the reason she'll be alive in the first place!" Ainsley laughs and rolls her eyes. 

Her brothers look like they've eaten a very sour plum and it couldn't be any funnier, "you four are pathetic, can't you just be happy that I'm happy? Vale isn't going anywhere and I don't care that it upsets you, so maybe you all need to get over it and move on."

Her brothers all sigh and nod their heads, finally, we're getting somewhere.

**~**

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**1000**

**SEPTEMBER**

**17YO**

* * *

_For a few minutes Ainsley thought she was dying, the pain was that excruciating and there was nothing anyone could do to ease the pain. Lucky for her it was over quickly and they had a baby, they were now parents to an actual child and they couldn't be any happier._

"Her name is Nelda," Ainsley whispers to her husband, her brown eyes welling with tears of joy and she lets out a breathless laugh, "Vale we have a baby, I'm a mother." 

"She's so small, I can't believe we did this, she's perfect, our perfect little baby."

They spend hours like this, cuddled up in bed with their newborn in her mother's arms sleeping soundly.

"I promise you my child, you will know nothing but happiness. Your happiness and wellbeing will be the only joy in my life, my little haven."

 

 

>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **May these words be the first**  
>  **To find your ears.**  
>  **The world is brighter than the sun**  
>  **Now that you're here.**
> 
> **~ _light_ _, sleeping at last_**

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter THEY ALL DIE!!!!!! 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> (like literally everyone)
> 
> this chapter is so late, so so so late
> 
> 6/8: my will to write this has plummeted, so updates will happen whenever. I'm really sorry.


	9. ♙ix♙

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I rushed tf outta the first part of this chapter (and middle, leave me alone) , mainly because it's not as important as the other parts so please excuse the sloppy writing as me realizing this chapter is literally over a month late and I want it posted before August.
> 
> I also know that Ansel in TO was quite literally a sweetheart, if not a dumbass for not snatching Klaus tf up the second he had the chance (imagine allowing your child to be abused by some other man, can't fucking relate, I'd be killing bitches left and right) my Ansel is the alpha male, and he let's it be known he's the one in charge.
> 
> Also Vale is played by Jackson Rathbone (aka Jasper from Twilight, aka the only team you should be on)

 

**MYSTIC FALLS**

**1001**

**OCTOBER 31ST**

**FULL MOON**

**18YO (almost 19)**

* * *

 

 

Ainsley did not like the idea of leaving her husband and child with her family, especially since Finn and Kol are with her, making them unable to properly watch over them but Ainsley made herself very clear, they are not to go home until she returned, it is no longer safe for them to be by themselves, Ainsley can feel it.

It's not like she doesn't trust her siblings, it's the fact that they don't stand a chance against the threat, Ainsley isn't sure she stands a chance against him, at this point he's too far gone to be trusted to show any sign of mercy. That being said, she prays on their walk back home that her siblings had listened to her but the tremor in her chest suggests that they didn't, and something is very _very_ wrong. It feels like her heart is trying to break free from behind her ribcage, it's a pain she's never felt before.

"I don't think I have ever seen you so worried, little fox, what troubles you?" Finn asks her, taking in her nervous exterior.

"The witches were thorough when punishing Ansel, he's a completely different man now because his mind, his sanity, is gone." Kol frowns, never quite understanding the connection between Ainsley and Ansel and it isn't like Ainsley is very open to sharing.

As the trio move closer towards their home the tremors get worse and at that point Ainsley is sure that something has gone wrong and she breaks out in a run, Rebekah notices her first, and then her panicked appearance, "where are they?"

"Vale insisted that they would be fine-"

"Where are they, Rebekah?" Ainsley all but screams and Rebekah flinches, pointing in the direction of her house. Ainsley quickly grabs a sword and runs up the hill to her house, knowing that Finn and Kol are right behind her.

Ainsley abruptly stops and the shriek of horror that leaves her mouth shakes the trees, they're dead, both of them. Her little girl is dead, her husband is dead, the unborn fetus might as well die too, her family is gone.

Nellie is unrecognizable, lying on the ground not too far from her father, partially eaten, Ainsley feels the air leave her lungs as she turns to her husband's body who is just as butchered and Finn's arms around her waist are the only thing keeping her upright.

"H-he killed them, Finn, my god, Finn they're dead!" Finn tightens his grip and shushes her, turning away from the bodies, "Finn, let me go! Please, I need to bury them, please make him let me go, Kol, it hurts." The brothers can barely understand her through her sobs, but Finn obliges and releases his hold on her and she sinks to the ground in a heap.

Kol kneels down beside her and runs his hand through her hair, "would you like for us to bury them under your tree?" And all that Ainsley can do is nod, clenching her fists to a point where her nails draw blood, the emptiness that she feels is accompanied by the thickness of the blood leaving her eyes, she's hollow.

"Can you make it to the tree now, or do you need more time?"

"They need to be at peace immediately, Finn, I'll manage." Her voice is quiet as she stands and walks over to pick up her daughter's mangled corpse, her legs wobble but she manages to keep herself upright and holds her child fiercely to her chest and without being asked Finn picks up Vale's body and they begin the walk back to the house, none of them saying a word. What could be said?

Once again it's Rebekah that greets them and the color drains from the 15-year-old's face and she covers her mouth to prevent the scream that was so dying to come out, "Kol please move our baby sister elsewhere I-"

Finn is cut off by Rebekah's sobs and he sighs, Kol takes her hand and leads her away from the horribly gruesome scene and Ainsley only wishes someone would do the same with her. She didn't deserve this, Ansel didn't deserve this, to live on with this guilt, with the blood on his hands and the knowledge that he killed a toddler unintentionally while he had no control over himself. Ansel didn't deserve to be cursed in the first place, not by the witches, and certainly not by Esther, it was her words that damned him to a fiery death if he came too close to Niklaus, his own son.

She uses her magic to dig two graves and finally the empty feeling in her chest catches up to her and she gasps for air, grabbing at her chest, feeling like she was about to take her last breath when the child in her womb kicks and chases the emptiness away, every is as okay as it possibly could be given the situation. Finn throws her a worried glance as he gently puts Vale's body into his grave, never would he admit it to anyone but himself about actually liking their brother-in-law but he made their sister happy and gave her a sense of security none of her brothers could provide and for that he will forever be grateful.

"I informed the others and they, mainly Nik, have insisted that you return home so they can comfort you," Kol announces his presence and sits next to his twin, smiling when she rests her head on his shoulder and wraps an arm around her protectively.

"I need to stay here."

Finn sighs and moves to sit in front of his younger siblings and takes Ainsley's hand in his, mindlessly playing with her fingers, "you need to rest, you forget that you're with child and the amount of stress you're experiencing isn't healthy for him." He explains quietly, not even lifting his head to look at her.

"Him?" Kol questions with a faint smile.

"Yes, him. Or Finn, as I like to call him." Ainsley lets out a breathless laugh and pushes his shoulder and rolls her eyes, as if she would ever name one of her children after her siblings.

"I agree with Finn, sister, you need to rest. A quick lay down is all we're asking for."

"My family was just murdered by the closest thing I had to a friend, how do you expect me-" Finn smiles and adjusts her in his arms, ignoring her protests as he carries back home and eventually she stops fighting and relaxes in his hold.

Finn barely steps a foot onto their land when Nik is practically ripping their sister out of his arms and into an almost crushing embrace, she tenses briefly, probably from the overwhelming resemblance between Ansel and their brother, his son. "Who would do such a heinous act?" Elijah questions aloud, not aimed at anyone specific as he holds Rebekah's still crying form to his chest, running his hand through her hair. 

"It matters not, we can burn them alive later. All we should be concerned with is the wellbeing of our darling sister," Ainsley curls into Nik's embrace as he speaks, hiding her face in the crook of his neck, silently trying to block out reality and unfortunately it doesn't work. Her family is still dead and her son is never going to get the chance to meet his father and sister. "And I believe the unanimous decision is for her to have a peaceful and undisturbed nap to lower the stress levels, off to bed you go little sister." She groans but allows him to carry her into her old room, lying her down on her bed.

**~**

The sun has set and the moon is now high and Ainsley stands at the base of her tree, staring down at the graves she dug only hours ago, there's no chance of her blocking out reality now. It's happened and it's real, as real as it is tragic. Her brothers were very reluctant to let her visit the graves alone, especially since she insisted on taking Vale's sword with her, she's on suicide watch apparently, despite the fact that she's made no actions or voiced any thoughts that would indicate that she was going to do such a thing.

Her husband's sword is tightly in the grasp of her left hand, her head down as she mutters a soft prayer when the soft sound of footsteps cause her head to snap up and scan her surroundings. Ansel. 

She immediately knows that it's the witch's Ansel because there's nothing but coldness in his blue eyes and she takes a cautious step back, gripping the sword tighter and she shivers at the malicious smile he sends her. It was sinister.

"Why the sad eyes, little fox? You'd think someone died with your expression." He stops a few feet away from her and in that moment she understands why others would fear him, his stance screams dominance and absolute power, it's very clear he's an alpha and a merciless one at that.

"Is that what this is? You've come to gloat? Well then by all means, go on!" But Ainsley is notorious for picking fights she can't win, so truly what's another added to the list? "You murdered a defenseless child, what a brave and daring alpha you are." She mocks and he snarls and his eyes glow that special yellow, but Ainsley doesn't back away.

"Have care how you speak, child!"

"I am no child, I am a mother and a wife. And now because of you I'm a widow without a child, all I have left is the child that has yet to leave my womb and I'll be damned if anything happens to him. I would do anything for my son, I'm sure you understand."

He laughs, taking another step towards her and still Ainsley does not back away, fully ready to eliminate the threat posed. As if snapping out of a trance Ansel stumbles back, his eyes no longer cold and hateful, it's Ansel and she watches as he silently recaps the day, going over his actions and she jumps when he lets out a sob.

"My sweet girl, I have never meant any of this to happen, oh my god I feel ill," he runs his hand through hair and cries, Ainsley can almost see the inner turmoil that plagued his brain, "this is just the beginning, those damned witches have destroyed my sanity, it's not going to end. Kill me."

"What?" Ainsley exclaims, finally backing up. Ansel is her best friend, despite his actions she could never dream of harming him.

"You heard me, this is never going to end! Kill me!"

Ainsley begins to cry and shakes her head, "I refuse to lose anyone else, I will not lose you, especially at my own hands." He looks so much like Nik it has Ainsley, labelled by her father as "little Valkyrie" refusing to take a life.

"Do it." He demands, growling when she shakes her head, "dammit Ainsley, DO IT!" 

She flinches, "no!" 

He takes off his necklace, small black beads with a wolf's canine in the center carved to resemble a crescent moon, the necklace belonged to his great-great-great-grandfather, the founder of the Crescent Kingdom, the first Alpha and king. Whoever wears the necklace is alpha, that being said, the one that hangs on Ainsley's neck has blue beads with a smaller carved canine, typically given to the wife of the alpha, or the female alpha. "Give this to him and promise me you'll protect him, let him know that I've always loved him. And never forget I love you as well."

Ainsley lets out a choked sob and nods, taking the necklace into her hand, "I love you too."

"Now kill me." It's softly said and Ainsley wastes no time, and a sudden rush of fury has her swinging her sword with her eyes shut tightly before stumbling back and falling to her knees.

Ansel's blood soaks her sword and she screams, crawling over to his body trying in vain to revive the man who wanted nothing more than to meet his child, the man that became her best friend when she was just two years old, ironically on the same day she claimed her tree as her own. 

"Oh hel-" Kol's voice trails off as he fully interprets what lies before him, Ainsley and Ansel's body with his head just a few inches away, "sister what have you done?" He asks quietly, kneeling down next to her and slowly taking the sword out of her hand.

"He begged me, and I didn't want to but I did and I-" Kol shushes her and helps her to her feet.

"And now he is at peace, the demons that plagued his mind are gone." He whispers and guides her bloody figure back home, unfortunately Esther is the first one they run into and the emotionally distraught Ainsley loses it.

"Ainsley what has happened?" She asks softly, nervously.

"You happened! This is all your fault and you know it and yet somehow you sleep at night, every night. He's dead and it's all because of you and your wickedness!" Ainsley screams, struggling to get out of Kol's grasp, "I killed him! Oh gods, I killed him." She whispers the last part as she begins to sob once again, reality rushing in at full force with no mercy.

Hearing all the noise her siblings make their way over and she does everything in her power to avoid Nik's gaze, she murdered his father. "He at first came to gloat but in his last moments it was him, it was all him and I killed him like it was a bloody execution." She whispers, and she feels Finn wraps his arms around her, not minding the blood at all.

"Ainsley-"

"You don't get to say a word, you vindictive whore!" Esther flinches and Rebekah leans closer to Elijah, subconsciously going to him for protection. "You let a good man be ruined for your lies and yet you've learned nothing! You continue to deceive and manipulate as if it were a second nature for you, you hide truths and commit horrible crimes yet it is never your fault, guess what _Esther_ ," she spits her name like it was the devil's, "it is your fault. He called you a disease once upon a time and said we'd all be better off without you and he's right, you ruin absolutely everything you touch." And to get her point across she takes Esther's hand into hers and her siblings are mute with shock as her veins turn grey and blood begins to pour out of her eyes and nose just like it had when Esther held her for the first time.

"Mother?" Nik questions softly, not knowing what Ainsley was talking about yet still wondering if it was true, "mother what is she talking about?"

Ainsley lets out a wicked laugh and pushes Finn's hands away from her, "oh it's nothing, right Esther?" Her cold voice asks and even Elijah is surprised about his reflexes when he grabs Ainsley's wrist, a dagger in her hand, just before it could go through their mother's throat.

Rebekah begins to cry, eyes wide as she reaches out to grab Henrik's hand, the boy far too close to their mother for her liking, "Ainsley stop it!" Finn snaps, ripping the dagger from her hand and carrying her away from their now sobbing mother, "you only defend her because you don't remember all that she has done, and for that I truly pity you."  

Finn rolls his eyes and brings her down to the creek, "I remember it all and I'd rather die than defend her, just don't think it's appropriate to murder our mother in front of her other children." Ainsley wiggles out of his grasp and kneels down in the water, washing Ansel's blood off her hands with her eyes firmly on the tree line on the opposite side of the creek, "plus I think I should be the one to kill her, I've lived with her longer." Ainsley laughs and listens to the sound of other wolves howling in the night.

"I'm their Alpha now, I hold all the power now."

 _Not all_ , says the bubbling creek water.

 _Not yet_ , says the whirling wind.

 _Soon_ , says the swaying trees.

 _And forever on_ , says the burning fire.

 _All must be lost for all to be found_ , says the raging demon hidden deep inside.

"And how are you to wield it?"

"With an iron fist and a burning sword." Says the demon, coming out to play for a split second, turning Ainsley's eyes black and her veins gray. 

"And what are you to gain?" Finn questions, noticing the subtle change in his sister.

"Gain from what?" Ainsley asks, casting a confused look towards her brother and he sighs, this is not good. For anyone.

 _With a full moon and half a heart, I promise your lives will fall apart_ , laughs the demon and a single bloody tear runs down Ainsley's cheek.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to cut this bitch in half bc there was no possible way that I'd get this up by the 7th


End file.
